News Roundup

Display Builder beta 2 introduces layout plugin support, improved UI panel architecture, and configuration visibility enhancements. The release also fixes role visibility logic, JSON API compatibility issues, and keyboard shortcut conflicts. A new tutorial video walks developers through installation, setup, and live layout building.

Oceanic Platform reimagines enterprise AI as modular assemblies instead of custom engineering projects. Built by Cetacean Labs, it combines domain-specific models, retrieval memory, and agent workflows into deployable systems. The platform aims to make enterprise AI buildable by teams without deep AI or infrastructure expertise.

Dripyard released Meridian, a new Drupal theme built using Single Directory Components architecture. The theme supports Drupal Canvas while remaining compatible with Layout Builder, Paragraphs, and standard templating systems. The release also adds new design and layout components while updating existing Dripyard themes to support the expanded system.

This week in Drupal includes events from Utrecht to London to online. LocalGov Drupal Dev Days offers talks and a code sprint, while Aten shares Metatag insights in a webinar. Great chance to contribute, connect, or sharpen your site-building knowledge.

Blökkli v1.3.4 introduces runtime visibility control through shouldRenderItem, fixes dark mode CSS leakage, and adds support for alternate edit entry paths. The release also improves custom feature development through defineBlokkliFeature composable support. It strengthens editor integration flexibility for headless and multi-path Drupal implementations.

Open source CMS usage is shrinking, but Drupal’s hosting ecosystem is growing. Cloudflare data points to deeper shifts in web technology strategy. With Europe pushing for digital autonomy, funding the maintainers—not just integrators—has become urgent.

Drupal developer Vivek P R has released Search API Date Boost, a contributed module for Drupal 11 that enhances search relevance by boosting indexed content based on selected date fields. The module introduces configurable boost factors, exponential decay for past-dated content, and maximum weighting for future-dated entries, helping site builders prioritise upcoming events and recent content directly through the Search API interface.

Drupal developer Gilles Bailleux explains how the Gridstack module can be used to build gap-free, masonry-style image galleries in Drupal. Drawing from museum website projects, he outlines why Gridstack was chosen over PhotoSwipe, how it works with Layout Builder, and what it offers for responsive design and SEO-friendly image handling.

DDEV now supports Podman and Docker Rootless as experimental container runtimes. The update targets Linux and WSL2 users in security-constrained environments, while keeping standard Docker as the default and recommended option.

Zeeshan Khan outlines the design and implementation of the Canvas Full HTML module in a detailed tutorial published on Specbee’s blog. The article explains how the module overrides Canvas’s restricted text formats to restore full CKEditor functionality, addressing long-standing editor pain points while preserving Canvas’s component-based architecture.

Drupal CRM will be presented at Florida DrupalCamp 2026 as a native contact management system built for Drupal. Steve Ayers and JD Leonard will explain how it differs from CiviCRM by keeping data and logic inside Drupal. The session targets site builders and organisations looking to avoid external CRM integrations.

Service collectors in Drupal group tagged services into one for reuse. AutowireIterator offers a lazy-loaded alternative from Symfony 7. Both methods improve modularity, performance, and service management.

A Droptica blog post demonstrates how Drupal’s AI Automators and Field Widget Actions modules can reduce editorial research time by embedding AI-powered content generation directly into content forms.

Decoupled Days 2026 moves to Montréal after organisers cited safety concerns affecting international attendance in recent years. The conference will run 6–7 August, with early-bird tickets and a call for presentations now open.

Smartbees outlines a practical approach to using Drupal’s core Workflows and Content Moderation modules to manage content revisions, roles, and publishing states. The article shows how mapping permissions to workflow transitions helps teams avoid accidental live edits while supporting structured editorial review. It highlights why moderation is as much about governance as it is about version control.

The Drupal AI Hackathon 2026 brought together developers and designers to experiment with AI-powered content and workflow tools. Hosted by the European Commission, the event resulted in several working prototypes and two new contributed modules from the winning team.

Mark Conroy’s January 2026 update details technical work across LocalGov Drupal, including post-update hooks, accessibility labels, CKEditor improvements, and theme maintenance. He also reflects on the impact of tooling migration and emerging frontend redesign efforts.

The call for sessions is now open for Drupal Iberia 2026. The event, taking place on 8–9 May in Braga, invites speakers to submit proposals by 15 March. It is organised by the Portuguese and Spanish Drupal associations.

EvolveDigital Summit 2026 will take place on 6 March in Toronto. The one-day event brings together digital professionals to discuss strategy, accessibility, and AI across CMS platforms. Ticket sales are now open.

Aaron Crosman shares lessons from working as both a client and a consultant in technology projects. He argues that clients and consultants operate under structurally different incentives that shape behaviour more than intent. The piece focuses on contracts, honesty, deadlines, and why pragmatic outcomes matter more than theoretical perfection.

George Bonnici outlines how to configure Drupal as an MCP server so AI tools can query and modify live data. The post explains the MCP architecture, required modules, and security model. It positions MCP as a low-friction integration layer rather than a replacement for existing workflows.

James Abrahams has introduced an experimental Drupal module that connects Claude Code’s agent runtime to Drupal through a PHP SDK. The project exposes file operations and agent workflows directly inside Drupal, with plans to support MCP and restricted access models. The module is not covered by Drupal’s security advisory policy and is intended for testing only.

Jibran Ijaz has developed an experimental Drupal AI agent that enables Views to be created and updated via natural-language prompts. The tool uses the Drupal AI agent framework to generate a valid configuration programmatically. It currently supports listing, creating, and updating Views, but not deletion.

EvolveDigital Toronto returns on 6 March 2026. Organisers are inviting speakers from design, tech, marketing, and education to submit proposals across eight tracks. The submission deadline is 6 February.

Heise reports that Drupal CMS 2.0 brings a visual page builder and optional AI tools to simplify site creation. The update shifts Drupal closer to non-technical users while improving performance at the core level. It signals a move toward a more accessible and AI-assisted open-source CMS.

MidCamp sessions from 2025 are now available on Drupal.tv. Watch the Dries fireside chat or explore event archives back to 2014. Drupal.tv offers on-demand access to years of community content.

DrupalCon Chicago 2026 invites submissions for community-led social events taking place March 23–26. While independently hosted, these events—ranging from board game nights to themed gatherings—can be officially listed for greater visibility. Accepted events will be listed on the conference website and must comply with the Drupal Code of Conduct.

Ron Ferguson used Drupal 11 to build an AI-powered eBook archive for personal use. The private system features automated metadata ingestion, Solr-based search, and Ollama-generated summaries. It functions as a local lab project focused on structure, discoverability, and experimentation.

Drupal in a Day is a free, beginner-friendly training session offered during DrupalCamp Grenoble 2026. Participants will build a complete Drupal site and engage with the open source community, supported by experienced trainers and the Drupal Open University initiative.

Dom Nicastro reports that Drupal CMS 2.0 gives marketers visual building and AI tools that reduce dependence on developers. Dries Buytaert describes the release as a response to how AI is changing both CMS expectations and agency business models. The update positions Drupal as a more accessible but still governed platform for enterprise teams.

Drupal Pivot Ghent 2026 brought together European agency leaders to discuss how Drupal must evolve in the face of AI disruption, shrinking margins, and strategic uncertainty. Talks focused on digital sovereignty, service sustainability, and rethinking Drupal’s market position. The event spotlighted a growing need for productisation, sovereign AI alignment, and actionable collaboration across the ecosystem.

DrupalSouth has extended its session submission deadline to 11:59 PM NZDT, Friday, 6 February 2026. They’re inviting Drupal community members of all experience levels to propose lightning, standard, or extended sessions, with support and encouragement for first‑time speakers. Accepted presenters get a complimentary ticket, and organisers will work with speakers on format and scheduling.

Droptica has released Open Intranet 1.7.0 with major UI and messaging improvements. The update swaps in the Gin admin theme, adds SMSAPI support, and improves accessibility. It’s a solid step for Drupal-based intranets serving non-desk staff and global teams.

DrupalCamp Poland 2026 invites proposals from developers and professionals. Sessions are capped at 45 minutes, including Q&A. The event takes place on 16 May in Wrocław.

Joe Shindelar introduces a course on Drupal Recipes via Drupalize.me. The series shows how to use and create recipes to reduce site setup time. It’s for both developers and site builders working with Drupal CMS.

ReactOnline highlights how the EU Open Source Week in Brussels is placing digital sovereignty at the top of Europe’s tech agenda. The blog connects Drupal’s open model to EU goals for independence and resilience. With policy shifts underway, open source is becoming a core strategic priority, not just a technical choice.

Grzegorz Bartman announces a new Messenger module for Open Intranet. It lets organisations contact staff via SMS and email—even without system logins. The tool avoids licensing costs and includes message tracking.

Drupal CMS 2.0 introduces visual building tools and AI-driven workflows aimed at easing adoption for non-developers. The release supports marketing teams while preserving Drupal’s open, extensible architecture. Dries Buytaert links these changes to larger trends around digital sovereignty and content control.

As part of global celebrations marking Drupal’s 25th anniversary, community veterans in Denmark gathered at Nordens Hus in Copenhagen. The event brought together early contributors to reflect on the CMS’s enduring value, from structured content to open-source resilience. Though local participation has waned, the conversation reinforced why Drupal remains a practical, powerful tool even after two decades.

Barry Fisher of Pivale says teams risk losing control by relying too much on SaaS. He calls for clear audits of digital dependencies and fallback plans. Open-source platforms like Drupal help organisations stay in charge as things change.

Acquia has extended the Engage Awards deadline to 13 February. The awards spotlight digital transformation using Drupal and Acquia tools. Teams now have more time to gather results and refine entries.

From Xuzhou to Konstanz, Edinburgh to Minneapolis, this week’s Drupal events reflect a thriving global network. Whether in person or online, these gatherings support skills-building, collaboration, and community bonding. Several meetups also explore practical development workflows and emerging tools.

The robots.txt file tells search engine bots which parts of a Drupal site to crawl and skip. Drupal includes a sensible default, but site owners can edit it directly or use a module-based UI. Smart configuration improves crawl efficiency without blocking critical assets.

Drupal Pivot convened contributors and agency leaders to assess industry pressures and the project's future. Topics included AI readiness, sovereignty, and Drupal's resilience. The event coincided with the launch of Drupal CMS 2.0, marking a moment of change.