Drupal Starshot and Experience Builder: Revolutionizing Drupal Website Development - Release from July 18, 2024

On July 18, Drupal developers met online. The conference focused on the progress of the Drupal Starshot initiative and its key component, the Experience Builder. Lauri Timmelin, the lead developer, shared in-depth details about the project.

The Experience Builder plays a crucial role in Drupal Starshot, aiming to simplify the process of developing a Drupal website for site builders. Research among organizations revealed numerous challenges with existing tools like Layout Builder and difficulties integrating with JavaScript.

The mission of the Experience Builder is to enable site builders without Drupal experience to effortlessly create themes and build entire websites using only their browsers. It also empowers content managers to create content on any part of the page without relying on developers. Unlike competitors, the Experience Builder excels in content reuse and large-scale content management by enforcing data structure and design consistency.

The team is currently working on defining detailed user scenarios, UI prototypes, and the architecture of the Experience Builder. Simultaneously, work is underway on the technical foundation, including JSON data storage, SDC component integration, and dynamic content caching.

The Experience Builder will combine the best features of Layout Builder and Paragraphs while introducing the ability to create themes directly in the browser using Single Directory Components (SDC). Plans include supporting React/Vue components instead of Twig for enhanced Drupal theme and module development.

The team has divided the work into two tracks: content and backend. The former focuses on the content creation experience, while the latter ensures a stable foundation for the page and theme builder. Conceptual wireframes and UI designs have already been created.

The first version of the Experience Builder is scheduled for release in the second half of 2024. Gradually, the functionality will expand, adding support for templates, mobile devices, multilingualism, and more. The team will prioritize seamless migration from Layout Builder and Paragraphs to ensure smooth Drupal support and maintenance.

Overall, the Experience Builder promises to become a powerful and flexible tool for creating Drupal websites. It will significantly extend the capabilities of content managers, streamline the work of site builders and developers, and enable the rapid development of high-quality websites while adhering to a unified design system.

At Wishdesk, our team of experienced Drupal developers closely follows these updates and eagerly awaits the Alfa version for testing. As a leading Drupal development agency, we are committed to staying at the forefront of Drupal advancements. We strive to introduce our clients to this groundbreaking product and leverage its potential to create outstanding Drupal websites. With the Experience Builder, we envision a future where Drupal development becomes more accessible, efficient, and powerful than ever before.

Are you excited about the Experience Builder's possibilities for Drupal website development? Partner with Wishdesk, and let our expert team guide you through the future of Drupal. Whether you need custom Drupal theme development, Drupal module development, or comprehensive Drupal site support and maintenance, we're here to help. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you.