2024-10-14

How To Migrate From Drupal 7 To Drupal 10: Full Guide

Building a website can be an intense process. Once it’s complete, you may feel a sense of accomplishment - and relief that you don’t have to do it again. However, as technology changes, you will almost certainly have to update your website - which may include migrating to a new version of your content management system. 

Drupal 7 will no longer be supported by January 2025, putting any website that uses it at risk. Now is the perfect time to migrate your Drupal website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10. Our complete guide to performing this migration will help you through the process, from analyzing your current modules to conducting a quality check before launching. 

Inclind has significant experience working with Drupal to design, build, and maintain websites for nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare practices, educational institutions, and other organizations. If your website is running on Drupal 7, we can perform the migration process for you to make sure that it is secure and functional on Drupal 10. Reach out to talk to a team member about our Drupal website design and development services

Why Migrate from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10? 

Like other content management systems (CMS), Drupal is updated periodically. These new versions ensure the platform includes the most advanced technology and is as secure as possible. 

Drupal 7 was introduced in 2009, 15 years after its release. Multiple updates, including Drupal 8 and 9, have since been released. The current version of Drupal is Drupal 10. 

Drupal has announced that January 5, 2025, is Drupal 7’s “end of life.” This means that this version will no longer receive security and compatibility updates. As such, any website still running on Drupal 7 will be vulnerable to cyber threats and may have compatibility issues. These websites may also violate compliance standards set by laws like​​ FedRAMP, PCI, HIPAA, and SOC 2. This is why Drupal recommends that all users migrate from Drupal 7 to 10 - if they haven’t already done so. 

If you choose to stay on Drupal 7 after January 2025, then your website will be at risk. Not only will you face security issues - with no updates or patches to fix them - but you won’t be able to access any support from Drupal after this time. In addition, because your website will be flagged as insecure, you won’t be able to integrate the site with third-party software (most of which won’t work with end-of-life software). 

There really is no question—if your website is running on Drupal 7, you must migrate it before January 2025. Below, we outline the steps to help you perform the migration. If you are unsure about doing this work yourself, reach out to Inclind to talk to our Drupal website developers

How to Migrate Your Website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 

Once you have made the decision to migrate your website, you will have to figure out exactly how to do it. Read on for a step-by-step guide to the process. If you have questions or are worried about your ability to do this work yourself, you can always contact Inclind for Drupal maintenance and support

Review Your Current Website 

For better or worse, migrating your website to the latest version of Drupal is a big job. This makes it a perfect time to go over your current website and figure out what you want to keep and what can go. Think of it as planning for the future of your website with an eye towards its structure, design, function, and content. 

Do a little research into Drupal 10. What are the ways that you can use some of its new features to make your website better? Keep that in mind as you analyze other parts of your site, including: 

  • Structure - is it easy to navigate? Can the user experience (UX) be improved? 
  • Content - do you need all of the existing content? Can you simplify any parts of your website? Does your content need to be optimized for SEO? 
  • Design - is your website design out of date? This is a great time to refresh it with more modern elements. 

You should also think hard about how big of a job this migration will be - and whether your internal team is equipped to handle it. If not, then you will want to work with a website developer to assist in the migration and ensure that your site is optimized. 

Check the Availability of Your Modules in Drupal 10 

Drupal relies on modules to add functionality to your website. You might have installed these modules when the site was first built 5, 10, or even 15 years ago, but many of these modules may be incompatible with Drupal 10. 

There are two ways to check module compatibility. You can go to the Drupal website and check each module manually. Alternatively, you can install a tool (like Upgrade Status) that will scan your website and check the compatibility of each module. 

If your modules aren’t compatible with Drupal 10, then you will need to find new ones to replace them. However, even if they are, you may want to look for new modules with better technology anyways. This can upgrade the functionality of your site. 

Create Your Drupal 10 Website 

Before you can migrate your website, you will need to create a new website in Drupal 10. Create the website just as you did when you first set up your website, and then install the modules that you selected. You will then need to set up your website using Layout Builder with blocks, content types, menus, forms, and media types. 

Update Your Site Code 

If you have any custom coding on your website - including custom themes and modules - then they will need to be re-coded from scratch to work with Drupal 10. Once this work is done, you can install them on your new Drupal 10 website. 

Migrate Your Data to the New Site 

The next step involves the actual migration process. If your site is light on content, you can probably migrate it manually. If you have a lot of content, then you will want to use a tool to migrate the content automatically such as the Migrate API, Migrate Plus, Migrate Scanner, and Migrate Tools. 

Before you get started, you will want to make sure that all of your content and data on your Drupal 7 site has been cleaned up and that your site is running the latest version of Drupal 7. You should also back up your data so that you have a copy in case there is an issue with the migration. Talk to your staff about not updating the site during the migration process, and check your URLS to make sure that they will redirect to the new site. 

When performing a migration, you will want to finish the migration for one content type (such as text) before starting on other types of content. This can save time with the migration since the initial transfer will be a template for the next transfer. 

Test the Site 

Once your migration is complete, it is time to do a quality assurance (QA) check. Go through your new website and make sure that all content and data has been migrated correctly. You will also want to make sure that it works properly across devices (including computers, phones, and tablets) and that it is both secure and accessible. 

Launch Your Site 

The final step in the process is to launch the website. Once QA is done, you shouldupdate your site’s DNS settings to direct to your new Drupal 10 website. Make sure that you check your logs for 404 errors or other errors that may indicate that your old site isn’t redirecting to the new one. You should also secure your old site so that it isn’t accessible by the public. 

Many organizations like to announce that they have a new website, especially if they have any new features that benefit their clients or customers. You can let people know via social media or email - and make sure to point out everything that is better about the website! 

Migrating to Drupal 10 can be complicated, especially if you aren’t familiar with coding. Drupal is known for requiring a bit more tech know-how than other CMS like WordPress. If you are a bit wary of doing the migration yourself, reach out to Inclind for help. 

Migrate Your Drupal 10 Site with Inclind 

If your site is still running on Drupal 7, then you will need to take action in the next few months to update it to Drupal 10. While the migration process takes some time and skill, it is necessary to protect the integrity and viability of your website. If you’re nervous about the process, we can help. 

Inclind is a collaborative team of award-winning website designers and developers that works with clients throughout the United States. We offer a full range of services, including Drupal website design and redesign, custom integrations, support and maintenance, and website consulting. If you have a Drupal website that is running on an outdated version, we can help you with the entire migration process - including helping you choose the best modules for your needs and creating custom code. 

If you’d like to learn more about our Drupal website design and development services, we’re happy to help. Fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 800-604-8139 to talk to one of our experts about your Drupal website.

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