A project I'm personally highly enthousiastic about is the Starshot initiative by Drupal.
Analyzing the Latest Drupal "Out of the Box" Functionality Survey Results
Recently, the Drupal community was asked to provide feedback on potential features and contrib modules that could be included in Drupal CMS by default. This survey aligns with the Drupal Starshot strategy, which is focused on streamlining the journey from installation to launch, particularly for ambitious marketers. The results offer fascinating insights into what the community values most, and where Drupal might be headed in the near future.
A Snapshot of the Survey
The survey received 60 submissions, covering a broad range of features and modules. While many suggestions aligned with existing initiatives, some new ideas emerged that could shape the future of Drupal. Here's a breakdown of the most notable results.
Top Features Requested
Out of 108 different feature suggestions, several stood out due to their frequency and alignment with current Drupal work tracks:
- Better Page Building Tools: Enhanced layout builders, drag-and-drop components, theming tools in the UI, and live preview were among the most requested features, falling under the Experience Builder track.
- SEO Enhancements: Meta tags (including schema and social sharing), and SEO analysis tools were highly requested, aligning with the SEO track.
- Form Builder: A more robust form builder was another popular request, fitting into the Contact Form track.
- Content Management: Bulk content management actions, image resizing, and cropping tools were also frequently mentioned.
- Login with Email: A feature requested under the Base Recipe track.
In addition to these, there were several unique suggestions that could be areas of focus for future Drupal development:
Content Management & Workflows
- Workspaces
- Content scheduling and cloning
- Simple content access control
- Deleted content recovery
Security
- Two-factor authentication
- Configurable password policies
- Security compliance tools
Media and Multilingual Features
- SVG support and bulk media upload
- AI-generated alt tags
- Asymmetric translations and inline entity creation
Modules on the Radar
Alongside features, the community proposed several contrib modules, some of which are already integrated into ongoing initiatives:
- Metatag (SEO track)
- Webform (Contact Form track)
- Admin Toolbar (superseded by Navigation module)
- Paragraphs (superseded by Experience Builder)
These modules, along with others mentioned, will be assessed for inclusion based on their relevance to planned functionality. Future tracks could emerge, particularly around WYSIWYG and security, as these areas showed significant interest.
What’s Next?
The feedback from this survey is invaluable, not only in validating current Drupal initiatives but also in highlighting new areas of potential development. The community's insights will likely influence new work tracks in the coming weeks, and we might see some of these features and modules becoming a standard part of the Drupal experience. Stay tuned for further updates as the project evolves.
For more detailed insights, you can visit the original announcement on Drupal.org.
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