WordPress is the most widely used content management system (CMS) in the world, but it isn’t necessarily the best option for every website. With ongoing lawsuits and controversy surrounding WordPress, many site owners are considering the switch to Drupal. Drupal is more technically complicated to use, but it does have several advantages over WordPress. This is why some organizations choose to migrate their WordPress site to Drupal.
Migrating from WordPress to Drupal requires some technical knowledge and some time. However, with the use of Drupal modules, it can be done more easily - although it still requires multiple steps to make sure that the migration is performed properly. To avoid potential pitfalls with the process, you can work with Inclind’s team of experienced WordPress and Drupal website designers and developers.
Inclind works with companies, nonprofits, government agencies, and organizations of all sizes to help them design, build, and maintain smart, efficient websites. We offer a full range of services to help our clients maximize the potential of their digital assets. Reach out today to learn more about our website design and development services.
Why Migrate from WordPress to Drupal?
WordPress is a popular CMS, used by more websites than any other CMS in the world. It is easy to use, requiring little to no coding knowledge. It is also very customizable, with the ability to change the design and functionality using a library of thousands of themes and plug-ins.
While WordPress is great, it isn’t the only open-source CMS on the market. Drupal also offers many benefits when compared to WordPress. It does require some experience in website development, but it offers certain advantages over WordPress.
There are several key reasons why an organization might choose to migrate its website from WordPress to Drupal:
- Drupal offers a more flexible taxonomy system for handling large quantities of content. If your website has a lot of content, then Drupal might be a better fit.
- Drupal is more secure than WordPress, with a cohesive codebase that leads to fewer cyber attacks due to vulnerabilities.
- Drupal offers more flexible custom content types and content views, so it is better for websites that publish different types of content.
- Drupal has built-in support for multilingual websites. If your website is used by people who speak different languages, then Drupal may be a better choice.
- Drupal’s template system is easier to use than WordPress themes.
- Drupal has better user role and permission controls compared to WordPress, which is perfect if your organization needs to give many different employees access to the website’s administrative dashboard.
While Drupal isn’t the right choice for every organization, if you are curious about this CMS, you should consult with a web development and design team to discuss the pros and cons of WordPress and CMS. Inclind can help you decide whether or not to migrate your website - and can help you with the migration process. We can even schedule a demo to help you decide if moving to Drupal is the right choice for your organization.
How to Migrate Your Site from WordPress to Drupal
The key to a successful migration from WordPress to Drupal is planning and preparation. If you want to avoid any big pitfalls, it pays to spend some time familiarizing yourself with Drupal’s interface, picking out a Drupal theme and modules, and making a backup of your WordPress site. These steps will help to make the transition much smoother.
Export Your WordPress Site
Once you have backed up your WordPress site, the next step is to export your content. You can use the WordPress export tool, located in the Tools menu on your administrative dashboard. Choose Export and then select “all content.” This tool will export the content into an XML file. This is the file format that is used for importing your content into Drupal.
Once you have downloaded the XML file, you can confirm that the file is valid by using xmllint on the command line. If the entire file prints to the screen when you run xmllint mywordpressexport.xml, then your XML is valid. Otherwise, XML errors will be shown and you will have to make the appropriate fixes.
Install and Set Up Your Drupal Site
If you haven’t already done so, you should install Drupal. This is typically a fairly easy process, with some hosting providers offering one-click installation to make it incredibly simple. You will typically still have to make some choices with a one-click installation - such as the protocol, domain, folder, and version - but it still requires less work than a manual installation.
With a manual installation, you will need to download CMS files, upload the files to your server, create a database, and then start the installation. This requires some technical knowledge that may require the assistance of a Drupal website developer.
Once Drupal is installed on your server, you will have to configure the site to complete the setup process. This includes a few steps:
- Configuring email settings
- Adding users and configuring permissions
- Setting up Drupal content types and taxonomy
- Choosing a theme and customizing site design
- Picking modules to extend functionality
Install Drupal’s WordPress Migrate Module
Drupal offers a specific module, WordPress Migrate, that can help you with the migration process. To use this module, you will also need to install a few other modules: Migrate Plus, Migrate Tools, and CTools. You will need to download each of these modules to complete the migration.
Migrate Content
Once all of your Drupal migration modules have been installed, the next step is to perform the migration itself. From the Drupal dashboard, click on Admin, then Structure, then Migrations. Choose “Add import from WordPress.” At this point, you will want to select the XML file that you already saved during the WordPress export and click next.
Drupal will then ask you to either create new user accounts based on your WordPress setup or import these accounts into a single user account in Drupal. You can pick either option before proceeding to the next step: deciding whether you want to import your WordPress content tags and categories as tags in Drupal.
You will then have to make other choices, such as deciding how to import your content. For example, your blog posts from WordPress should be imported as articles in Drupal. Pages in Wordpress can be imported as basic pages in Drupal.
When you have chosen each option, you will click Finish. This will take you to a migration page with a list of the different types of content that you are importing from WordPress in a list form. Go down the list and click Execute beside each item to import that content to your Drupal Site.
Quality Check Your Site
While WordPress to Drupal migration is made simpler with the use of modules, it still requires some technical knowledge and experience with both WordPress and Drupal. Before you publish your Drupal site, you will want to take some time to make sure that the content has been imported correctly and that your site works as it should. This is also a great time to add functionality to your website with Drupal modules.
Once you are satisfied with your site and have worked out any issues, you can take your Drupal site live - and delete your old WordPress site.
This guide provides an overview of how to migrate your site from WordPress to Drupal - but you might still be a little unsure of how to do each step. For example, configuring your Drupal site might be a challenge if you don’t have coding experience - or perhaps you are worried about importing your content correctly. If you are worried about your ability to successfully migrate your site from WordPress to Drupal, reach out to Inclind to learn more about how we can help you with the process.
Get Help from a Seasoned Website Design and Development Team
While website migration from WordPress to Drupal isn’t common, it is a great option for many organizations. The process does require technical skill, from testing the validity of your XML file to installing Drupal and completing the content import. Our website design and development firm can help you through each step of the process, starting with a consultation where we can help you decide if moving to Drupal is the right choice for your organization.
Inclind is a full-service web development and design company. We offer a full range of services, including website redesigns, custom integrations, accessibility audits, and technical SEO. We can also perform website migrations for clients - whether you are moving between WordPress and Drupal or another CMS entirely.
If you’d like to simplify your web hosting, design, and maintenance, we can help. Give us a call at 1-302-856-2802 or fill out our online contact formto get started.