Breaking Up with Drupal 7: A Survival Roadmap for Your Digital Relationship Upgrade
Web development is a field where technologies constantly evolve. As the team at Wishdesk with collective decades of experience working with Drupal, we've observed numerous transformations of this CMS, from early versions to modern releases. Migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11 is a special case that requires professional analysis and strategic planning.
Why Migration Has Become Necessary
Drupal 7 was a real breakthrough when it appeared on the market. It offered impressive functionality and stability, allowing thousands of companies to choose it as the foundation for their digital platforms. However, technologies don't stand still. We are now at a critical crossroads: Drupal 7 support is inevitably ending, and Drupal 11 presents a new approach to web project development.
Our team at Wishdesk has worked with dozens of large and medium-sized projects that required migration from older versions to newer ones. And we consistently face one important fact — each migration is unique.
The Technical Reality of Drupal 11
The first and perhaps most important thing to understand is that Drupal 11 is radically different from Drupal 7. This isn't just an update; it's a complete rethinking of the architecture.
Drupal 7 was built on its own architecture which, although powerful for its time, didn't meet modern development standards. Drupal 11 fully integrates Symfony components and uses an object-oriented approach at all levels. This creates an excellent foundation for modern web projects but also means there's no direct migration path.
During one of our projects, we discovered that a custom content management module that worked excellently in Drupal 7 required complete rewriting for Drupal 11. It wasn't just a matter of adapting code — it required rethinking the entire logic, considering the new object-oriented approach.
Changes in Data Structure — A Challenge for Migration
The API for working with content has undergone radical changes. The Entities API, which appeared in Drupal 7, has become a central element in Drupal 11, but with many differences. Fields, taxonomies, users — all require new approaches to migration.
Our experience shows that even when using official migration APIs, it's necessary to develop custom migration modules for most projects. One of our clients had a complex content structure with nested entities that required developing a three-level migration strategy with checkpoints and recovery methods.
Modules and Themes: Rethinking Functionality
Another stumbling block is the module ecosystem. Many modules that were key in Drupal 7 either don't have direct analogues in Drupal 11 or work according to completely different principles.
One of our clients had a Drupal 7 site with more than 50 installed modules. During the migration analysis, we found that about 30% of these modules had no counterparts for Drupal 11. Another 40% had analogues but with significantly changed functionality. And only 30% could be relatively easily replaced. This required serious planning to adapt the functionality.
Themes in Drupal 11 are also based on new principles. Twig replaced PHPTemplate, requiring complete rewriting of templates. For complex designs, this can be just as labor-intensive as content migration.
Practical Strategies for Successful Migration
Over years of working with Drupal project migrations, we've developed several strategies that help make this process more manageable and predictable.
The first step is always a detailed technical audit that allows us to assess the scope of work. We start by analyzing content, data structure, custom modules, and integrations. This helps identify critical elements that need the most attention.
The second step is prototyping the new solution. Instead of trying to completely recreate the old site in the new architecture, we create a prototype that meets modern requirements and leverages the advantages of Drupal 11. This often leads to significant improvements in performance and scalability.
The third step is developing a migration plan with business priorities in mind. It's important to understand which site elements are critical to the business and focus on them first. Sometimes this means phased migration, where new functionality is added step by step to minimize risks.
Real Time and Resource Costs
Let's talk about real timeframes. Migration of a medium-complexity site from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11 typically takes 2 to 6 months, depending on complexity. It's important to understand that this isn't just a technical process — it's also an opportunity to rethink your digital strategy.
During the migration of an international educational organization's website (can't name them due to NDA), we initially estimated the project at 3 months but discovered critical issues with CRM system integration, which increased the term to 5 months. However, the results exceeded expectations — the new site was 60% faster, significantly improving user experience and conversion.
Hidden Benefits of Migration
Despite all the difficulties, migration to Drupal 11 opens new possibilities:
Increased productivity and page loading speed, which directly affects SEO and conversion.
Improved security thanks to modern architecture and regular updates.
Flexibility of integrations with other systems through an API-first approach.
Simplification of future updates thanks to the new backward compatibility system.
Preparation for Migration: What You Can Do Now
The success and cost of migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11 largely depend on preparatory work. As our experience at Wishdesk shows, clients who prepare for migration in advance experience a smoother transition process, fewer unexpected problems, and as a result, more predictable budgets. Here are specific steps that site owners can take right now.
Documentation and Current System Audit
Start by creating a detailed inventory of all elements of your site. During the migration of an international educational platform, we encountered a problem: the client had no up-to-date documentation regarding custom modules. This added about three weeks to the total project timeline.
It's useful to document a complete list of modules used and their versions. Pay special attention to custom modules — they usually represent the greatest complexity during migration.
It's also important to create a structure of content types, fields, and their relationships. A detailed data map will help plan migration scripts.
Don't forget about integrations with external systems. Document the APIs used and their role in the overall infrastructure.
And, of course, record the technical characteristics of hosting and specific server settings.
Data Cleaning and Content Optimization
Migration is a great opportunity to get rid of outdated or unnecessary content. In practice, we see that 25-40% of content on most old sites is not actively used but complicates migration.
Analyze visitor analytics and identify unpopular pages. Review duplicate content and combine where possible. Clean up the old media library of unused files. Archive outdated content that may be needed in the future but doesn't require migration.
Business Process Optimization
One of our clients, a regional network of medical clinics, used the preparation period for migration to rethink content update processes. They were able to optimize workflows, reducing the number of custom solutions by 30% and saving about $15,000 on migration.
Review whether all current content management processes are still relevant to your business. Evaluate which site functions can be simplified or combined. Identify new business requirements that should be considered during migration.
Expert Assessment and Consultation
Even if you're not ready to start migration yet, a preliminary consultation with experts can help avoid critical mistakes. At Wishdesk, we offer a preliminary assessment of migration complexity, which takes 5 to 10 hours of work and can save months of work in the future.
Order a technical audit of your current Drupal 7 solution. Get a professional assessment of migration complexity and preparation recommendations. Develop a preliminary migration strategy taking into account the specifics of your project.
Collaboration Models with Wishdesk for Migration to Drupal 11
Understanding the diversity of projects and client needs, we at Wishdesk have developed several flexible collaboration models that adapt to different requirements and organizational contexts.
Comprehensive "Turnkey" Migration
For organizations looking to minimize their own resources and time on migration, we offer full process support — from audit to launch. This model is suitable for complex projects or when internal technical expertise is limited.
What's included:
- Comprehensive technical audit of the current site
- Development of a detailed migration strategy
- Complete development of the new site on Drupal 11
- Data migration taking into account content specifics
- Thorough testing and performance optimization
- Training your team on the new platform
This option provides a complete end-to-end solution with minimal involvement required from your team, allowing you to focus on your core business while we handle the technical transition.
Internal Team Support
If you have your own development team but they lack specific experience migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11, we can provide expert support and consultation. This model allows you to optimize your resources and maintain control over the process.
What's included:
- Initial audit and planning sessions
- Collaborative development of new site architecture
- Regular technical consultations during development
- Joint testing and optimization processes
This approach combines your team's familiarity with your business needs and our Drupal migration expertise, creating an effective partnership for successful implementation.
Phased Migration
For large and complex projects, it's often advisable to approach migration in stages. We divide the process into manageable phases, allowing you to distribute the effort over a longer period and manage risks effectively.
What's included:
- Strategic planning and phase breakdown
- Sequential development and migration of each component
- Integration between old and new systems during the transition period
- Gradual knowledge transfer throughout the project
This approach is particularly valuable for mission-critical websites where continuous operation is essential and risks must be carefully managed at each stage.
Consultation Support
If you plan to carry out migration on your own but need expert support at critical moments, we offer a consultation model. Our technical experts will help you avoid typical mistakes and optimize your approach.
What's included:
- Initial audit and strategic recommendations
- Regular consultation sessions as needed
- Code review and technical evaluation of solutions
- Assistance in solving critical problems
This lightweight engagement model gives you access to our expertise when you need it most, while your team maintains primary ownership of the implementation.
Each collaboration model can be customized to match your specific business requirements. We recommend scheduling an initial consultation to discuss your project needs and determine which approach would best support your Drupal migration journey.
Migration Readiness Checklist from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11
Use this checklist for self-assessment of your migration readiness. This will help identify potential risks and better prepare for the process.
Technical Readiness
It's important to have full access to the site's source code, including custom modules. Make sure you have database access with backup rights. Up-to-date documentation of your site's data structure will greatly facilitate the process. It's also worth conducting an inventory of all modules and knowing which ones are critical for functioning. It's useful to analyze in advance the compatibility of used modules with Drupal 11.
Business Readiness
A clear understanding of which site functions are critical to your business will help set priorities during migration. Define fixed business requirements for the new version of the site. Find the optimal time for migration with minimal business impact. Make sure your budget matches the scale of migration. It's also important to appoint a responsible person or team to coordinate the migration process.
Content Readiness
Analyze and optimize the content structure before migration. Identify outdated content that doesn't need migration to reduce the workload. Develop a plan for content managers during the migration period to avoid conflicts when updating content. Prepare a content testing strategy after migration to ensure everything works correctly.
Integration Readiness
Document all external integrations of your site, as they often create the biggest difficulties during migration. Check the compatibility of API integrations with Drupal 11. Create test environments for integration testing to identify problems before moving to production.
Organizational Readiness
Make sure your team understands the necessity of migration and its benefits. Develop a communication plan with users regarding changes after migration. Plan training for employees who will work with the new system to ensure a smooth transition.
The more points you can check off, the better prepared you are for migration. Even if you feel ready only in some aspects — don't worry. The Wishdesk team will help you fill in the gaps and develop an effective migration strategy.
According to our statistics, thorough preparation for migration can reduce the overall project timeline by 20-30% and save up to 25% of the budget. Time investments at the preparatory stage always pay off during the migration project.
When to Start Planning?
If your site is still running on Drupal 7, the best time to start planning migration is now. Even if you decide not to migrate to Drupal 11 immediately, understanding the scope of work and potential benefits will allow you to make an informed decision.
In our experience, the most successful projects are those where migration is viewed not as a technical task but as a strategic opportunity for developing digital presence.
Partnership for Successful Migration
Migration from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11 is a complex but necessary step for organizations that want to ensure the long-term success of their digital platforms. With the right strategy and experienced partners, this process can become a catalyst for significant improvements in your digital presence.
At Wishdesk, we understand that each project is unique, and we approach migration with consideration of our clients' specific business needs. Our experience with dozens of successful migrations allows us to anticipate potential problems and find effective solutions.
Start with a conversation about your needs and goals, and we'll help develop a strategy that will ensure a smooth transition to Drupal 11 with minimal risks and maximum return.
