The launch of Drupal 11 marks another exciting chapter for one of the most powerful and flexible CMS platforms. Known for its scalability, security, and performance, the platform continues its evolution, not only keeping up with modern web development needs but simplifying many of its processes without sacrificing its features. Whether you're a site builder, content editor, or front-end developer, the new features in Drupal 11 are designed to make your work easier and more efficient, all while keeping your site future-proof.

One interesting development tied to Drupal 11 is its connection to the upcoming Drupal Starshot ‘CMS’ initiative. You’ll be able to install Starshot from the standard Drupal core profile via a “recipe”, which is a new feature we’ll dive into shortly. Starshot builds on top of Drupal 11's core, making use of key features and offering a streamlined, out-of-the-box experience for users. You can learn more about it in our blog post: Shooting for the Stars: Drupal's New 'Starshot' CMS

So what’s new in Drupal 11, and why should you be thinking about upgrading? Let’s dive into the details and explore why making the leap to Drupal 11 with Monarq is the best solution.

What’s new in Drupal 11?

Single Directory Components (SDC)
Drupal 11 makes a leap forward in front-end development with the introduction of Single Directory Components (SDC). Traditionally, developers have had to manage the CSS, JavaScript, and templates for each component in separate directories. Now, all of these files are organized into a single directory, making it easier for developers to manage code, maintain consistency, and reuse components. For larger sites that rely heavily on complex, modular components, this is a significant improvement. This simplifies theme management and boosts development speed. This also leads to better consistency across components and a cleaner, more manageable codebase.

Source: Drupal 11 is available now!

Recipes: Predefined Configurations
Another notable feature in Drupal 11 is the Recipes module, designed to save time by allowing users to create predefined configurations kits. When setting up a new website and needing specific settings like user roles, content types, or permissions, you would traditionally have to manually configure each of these elements or use complex installation profiles. Recipes, however, act like pre-packaged setups that you can apply to your site with just a few clicks. Instead of “installing” those ready-made recipe kits like traditional modules, you “apply” these configurations, making it much easier to implement advanced functionality. This simplifies and speeds up the deployment process, while also making it easier for less-experienced site administrators to manage advanced configurations without having to dig into code​. Although still in the experimental phase, Recipes have the potential to make site-building and administration more straightforward and efficient.

Enhanced Workspaces for Content Staging
With the full release of Workspaces in Drupal 11, managing content updates and previews has become significantly easier. This feature allows you to stage content and configuration updates directly within the same Drupal site, rather than using separate installations or environments. You can create multiple workspaces within the production site itself, where content can be updated, reviewed, and approved to then publish it all with a single click, without affecting the live version. This removes the risk of live-site disruptions while enhancing collaboration between content creators and developers, all while keeping everything contained within a single Drupal installation.

Source: https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/core/modules/workspace/using-workspaces

Improved Navigation and Admin UI
Accessibility remains a cornerstone of Drupal, and Drupal 11 brings even more enhancements to ensure all users can navigate sites. With improvements aligned with WCAG 2.2 standards, Drupal ensures that both the front-end and admin areas of your site are accessible to everyone. The admin UI has been revamped with a more intuitive, collapsible menu and easier access to common tools and content management​. Expect even more updates to the admin interface in future versions as Drupal 11 continues to evolve.

Why Should You Consider Drupal 11 for Your Next Project?
This new version will provide you with a more secure, scalable, and efficient foundation for your website, which ensures that it’s ready for whatever your business needs next. Plus, Drupal 11 introduces Automatic Updates to Drupal core, which focuses on providing patch-level updates (ex: 11.0.0 to 11.0.1), making upgrades even simpler and allows automating them using Drupal’s Cron task runner. This ensures that your site stays up to date with the latest patches, making it less vulnerable and protecting it from potential security threats.

In the case of Drupal 10, it will be supported until 2026; so there's no immediate rush to upgrade. But upgrading to Drupal 11 will equip your site to take advantage of Drupal's latest innovations. So whether you're using Drupal 10 or considering Drupal 11, our team remains experts from version to version, ensuring that we can help you build and maintain your site on any version, so you can focus on what matters: your business goals. 

Monarq is here to make your Drupal 11 upgrade as easy as possible. Upgrading your site to Drupal 11 with Monarq ensures that the process is efficient and strategic. We offer tailored, future-proof solutions that are designed to evolve with your business. Some of our projects such as the upgrade of the McGill Executive Institute website, the e-commerce solution with a new fulfillment center for the American Library Association, the rebuild and automation of CERIU’s course inscription application, and the integration of the Tourinsoft API with Tourism Montreal, among others, have demonstrated how we transform websites using cutting-edge Drupal technologies, while making sure content management is streamlined and intuitive.

Our Sections & Components System has already made Drupal more user-friendly for site administrators, and Drupal 11 is perfectly aligned with our mission of simplifying the web experience for all users. We create systems and solutions to be future-proof and scalable with your business needs.

So, whether you're looking to build a brand-new site on Drupal 11 or planning your current Drupal site's upgrade to take advantage of the latest features, our team has the expertise to bring your vision to life and help you explore all the possibilities. Contact us today!