"For me as a developer working on Drupal Core, Drupal 10 is a big step forward."

31 March 2023
3 minutes

Drupal 10 is here! As one of the most popular open source content management systems, Drupal has just released a new version packed with exciting features and improvements. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the key changes and why they matter.

The most important changes in Drupal 10

Claro theme for the administrator and Olivero as the new default theme. 

One of the most noticeable changes in Drupal 10 is the new Claro theme for the admin section, which provides a sleek and modern interface. The new Olivero theme is also included as the default theme, giving a fresh look to Drupal websites.

CKEditor 5 replacing the older version 4. 

In addition, Drupal 10 replaces the outdated CKEditor 4 with the latest version 5, offering better functionality and compatibility. Some outdated JavaScript components have also been replaced, removing the reliance on old jQuery software.

Starterkit - a big step forward

For developers, the Starterkit theme serves as a new base for creating custom themes.

Symfony 6 as base for Drupal 10 replaving Symfony 4 in Drupal 9.

Another significant change is the shift to Symfony 6 as the foundation for Drupal 10, replacing the older Symfony 4 from Drupal 9. This move was necessary as Symfony 4 reaches End-Of-Life on November 1, 2023.

As a developer, you like to work with the latest software."

As a Drupal core developer and subsystem maintainer of the Database API, I'm excited about Drupal 10. With the previous version, Drupal 9, we had to support older software, such as Symfony 4, which was released in 2017. Supporting outdated dependencies can be a challenge for developers, and the release of Drupal 10 means we can work with the latest software.

In summary, Drupal 10 brings a range of exciting changes and improvements, providing a more modern and efficient platform for website development. As always, it's recommended to test any major updates thoroughly before deploying to a production site.

PHP Fibers delivers an even better performance

Performance has also been enhanced in Drupal 10 with the inclusion of PHP Fibers. This feature allows for parallel execution of database queries, leading to faster loading times for pages with multiple blocks. PHP Fibers is new to PHP 8.1 and is the minimum required version for Drupal 10.

Drupal 11 due in summer 2024

Looking ahead, Drupal will release a new version every two years to stay in line with Symfony and other dependencies. Drupal 11 is set to be released in the summer of 2024, and I can't wait to see what improvements and features it brings.

You will always test first, of course

In summary, Drupal 10 brings a range of exciting changes and improvements, providing a more modern and efficient platform for website development. As always, it's recommended to test any major updates thoroughly before deploying to a production site.

Read in my previous blog how to prepare for the switch to Drupal 10: Start preparing for Drupal 9 EOL on November 1, 2023 | Blog (finalist.nl)

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