In 2000, while most students at the University of Antwerp were immersed in the usual distractions of campus life, a young Dries Buytaert was quietly writing the first chapter of the Drupal history.
At the time, no one could have predicted that what began as a simple dorm room project — designed merely for friends to communicate online — would grow into one of the most influential content management systems (CMS) in the world.
What started as a basic message board quickly evolved into Drupal, a platform now shaped by thousands of developers, countless contributions, and a community-driven spirit that remains at its core to this day.
To truly appreciate Drupal’s remarkable journey and understand how it became the go-to choice for building flexible, scalable websites, we need to explore the key moments and milestones that defined its development.
From its early days as an open-source experiment in PHP to its rise as an enterprise-grade CMS, the Drupal version history and its evolution is a story worth telling.
The name Drupal is derived from the Dutch word druppel, meaning “drop” (as in a drop of water). The story goes that Dries Buytaert originally intended to name his project dorp (meaning “village”), but due to a misspelling, it became Drupal.
This minor error ultimately led to a name that would represent a global platform used by millions. From the start, releasing Drupal as an open-source project was a bold move that immediately captured the attention of developers and early adopters. Unlike many systems of the time, Drupal was designed to be flexible, modular, and extensible, giving users the power to customize it to fit their unique needs.
At its core, Drupal was created with a simple yet ambitious idea: to build an open system that anyone could contribute to, improve, and share —setting the stage for a collaborative community that would continue to drive its evolution.
2000 - 2005
The birth of Drupal
2000 - 2003
When Dries Buytaert released Drupal’s first version in 2001, it was a simple yet powerful idea to create an open-source CMS platform.
At the time, the internet was still finding its feet in terms of CMS solutions, and Drupal was just a small project with a handful of basic features. However, it soon became clear that this wasn’t just a one-size-fits-all system — it was meant to be built upon and expanded exponentially.
What follows is a concise overview of the Drupal release history from its humble beginnings to its place as a CMS powerhouse.
Humble beginnings
In 2002, Drupal 4.0.0 was released, marking a significant turning point in its development. It was during this period that the platform started to show its true potential. With the introduction of modules, Drupal became more customizable and more flexible.
The modules allowed developers to extend functionality easily, adding everything from forums to image galleries. Drupal was no longer a simple tool for managing text, it was showing its potential to become a CMS capable of powering even the most complex websites.
The growing community and first signs of a movement
2003 - 2004
As the Drupal project grew, so did its community. Developers from around the world began to see the platform’s potential, and many started contributing code, bug fixes, and new features. Drupal’s open-source nature meant that anyone could contribute, and this collaborative spirit began to attract more and more users.
In 2004, Drupal 4.5 was released, and with it came a significant improvement: a new theming system. This update made it easier for designers and developers to create custom appearances for Drupal-powered websites.
Themes were separated from the core system, giving developers more control over the look and feel of the site. By this point, Drupal was more than just a tool for developers — it was starting to appeal to a broader audience, including designers and content creators.
The first DrupalCon: A milestone for the community
2005
By 2005, the Drupal project was no longer just a small experiment — it had turned into a thriving community of developers, designers, and users.
With this growth the first DrupalCon was held in Antwerp, bringing together Drupal enthusiasts from around the world. The conference marked a major milestone in the history of Drupal, cementing the idea that Drupal was not just a software project, but a global community.
An official Drupal Association was formed shortly after to help manage the platform’s growth and organization, and to provide resources and support for Drupal’s expanding community network.
Drupal’s foundation was set. It was no longer just a CMS — it was a collaborative, community-driven platform that was poised to change the way websites were built. And with each new release, it was becoming more powerful, more flexible, and more user-friendly.
2005 - 2011
Drupal 5.0 and the rise of advanced features
2007
By 2007, Drupal had evolved from a niche CMS into a robust platform for building all kinds of websites.
Drupal 5.0 (released in January 2007) marked a significant turning point for the project. It introduced several key improvements that made Drupal even more powerful and user-friendly:
This release also saw a growing emphasis on usability, with the goal of making Drupal more accessible to non-developers. As the platform’s user base expanded, there was a clear need to cater to both experienced developers and users without technical expertise.
Drupal 6.0, strengthening the platform
2008
Drupal 6.0, released in February 2008, introduced several important features that solidified Drupal’s position as a leader in the CMS space:
Drupal 6 was also the first version to receive broad enterprise adoption. As businesses and large organizations began to see the potential of Drupal, the platform’s versatility and scalability became key selling points.
Drupal 7.0, community growth and major milestones
2011
The release of Drupal 7.0 in January 2011 was one of the most anticipated updates in the history of Drupal. It represented a massive leap forward in both functionality and usability. Some of the major improvements included:
With these updates, Drupal 7 transformed into a highly flexible and powerful platform for building complex websites, making it an even more appealing option for businesses, media organizations, NGOs, and government agencies.
By 2011, the Drupal community was no longer just a group of developers — DrupalCon conferences were drawing thousands of attendees from all over the world, and contributions to the platform were coming from developers worldwide.
The community-driven approach had paid off, making Drupal one of the most successful open-source projects in history.
Note:
Drupal 7’s end-of-life (EOL) date has been set for January 5, 2025, marking the conclusion of official support from the Drupal community.
This means no further updates, bug fixes, or security patches will be provided. Sites still running on Drupal 7 after this date will become increasingly vulnerable to security threats and may encounter compatibility issues as related technologies evolve.
We encourage organizations to migrate from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10, which features enhanced security, improved performance, and a more streamlined upgrade path.
2011 - 2014
Between 2011 and 2014, Drupal experienced significant advancements, largely influenced by the release of Drupal 7 and the ongoing development of Drupal 8.
In line with the refinement of Drupal 7, the community was heavily focused on developing Drupal 8, which represented a major shift in architecture and system capabilities.
During these years, the platform incorporated the Symfony framework to modernize its codebase and improve efficiency.
The system's multilingual capabilities were significantly enhanced, and configuration management features were introduced, facilitating easier site setup and content migration. These advancements were made with a focus on enterprise-level functionality, as Drupal sought to solidify its reputation as a scalable and robust CMS for complex projects.
Additionally, the global Drupal community grew, with increased participation in conferences and events, fostering collaboration and innovation. This growth supported the expansion of contributed modules and themes, further enriching the ecosystem and ensuring Drupal remained a competitive and versatile choice for content management solutions.
The years from 2011 to 2014 were instrumental in preparing for the release of Drupal 8, while solidifying Drupal 7's place as a reliable and feature-rich platform.
2015 - present
Drupal 8.0 becomes a game changer
2015
The release of Drupal 8.0 in November 2015 marked the beginning of a new era for the platform. With a focus on modern web standards, Drupal 8 introduced a number of groundbreaking changes:
Drupal 8 also introduced a more modern admin interface, better multilingual support, and improved tools for managing complex content structures. It was, by all accounts, a major milestone that brought Drupal into the modern era of web development.
2016 - 2019
After the game-changing launch of Drupal 8.0, the platform underwent a series of smaller, yet significant, updates from versions 8.1 to 8.7.
These incremental releases, rolled out between 2016 and 2019, focused on refining the core features introduced in Drupal 8.0 while adding new functionality to keep up with the evolving demands of web development.
Drupal 8.1 BigPipe introduction
April 2016
One of the first updates, Drupal 8.1, was a big step forward for developers who needed advanced performance and integration tools. Notably, it introduced the BigPipe module, which helped improve page load times by streaming content to the browser in a more efficient way. Instead of waiting for the entire page to load, users could start interacting with parts of the site immediately, enhancing the overall user experience.
This update also added experimental modules and started laying the groundwork for ongoing improvements in the core system.
Drupal 8.2 to 8.3: better UX and workflow enhancements
Subsequent updates, like Drupal 8.2 (October 2016) and 8.3 (April 2017), focused heavily on usability. These releases introduced the Workflows module, which allowed more robust editorial workflows, making it easier for content teams to manage drafts and published content. The Inline Form Errors module also simplified form validation, making forms clearer and more user-friendly.
In 8.3 the Layout Discovery module was added as an experimental feature, setting the stage for better layout control and easier content structuring in future releases.
Drupal was becoming more accessible to non-developers, with improvements that helped content creators and editors use the platform more intuitively.
Drupal 8.4 to 8.5 focus on layout and media
With Drupal 8.4 (October 2017) and 8.5 (March 2018), the platform continued to evolve by introducing key content management tools.
The Media module, which had been in development for some time, became a core feature, allowing content managers to handle images, videos, and other media assets with ease. Additionally, the Layout Builder module emerged as a game-changer, providing a visual interface for designing and rearranging page layouts. Users could create complex and flexible designs without writing a single line of code.
This period also saw improved support for RESTful web services, reinforcing Drupal’s commitment to being an API-first platform.
These updates further cemented Drupal 8 as a robust and adaptable content management system, capable of meeting the needs of both enterprise clients and small businesses.
Drupal 8.6 regarded as the most user-friendly Drupal yet
September 2018
Drupal 8.6 was lauded as one of the most user-friendly releases in Drupal’s history. This update brought major improvements to installation and content authoring, which had long been areas of focus for the community. Highlights included:
These updates made Drupal 8.6 a highly attractive option for organizations looking for a modern, user-friendly CMS.
Drupal 8.7: The rise of Layout Builder
May 2019
One of the most exciting advancements in Drupal 8.7 was the full stabilization of the Layout Builder.
This tool revolutionized content layout in Drupal, allowing users to create layouts with a simple drag-and-drop interface. It provided the flexibility to create custom designs for any page, giving content managers more control over their sites’ appearance without needing developer assistance.
With this release, Drupal continued to embrace the low-code movement, empowering non-technical users to have greater involvement in site design and content presentation.
Additionally, Drupal’s REST API saw continued enhancements, reinforcing its capabilities as a platform for decoupled or headless CMS architectures.
The transition to Drupal 9
2020
With Drupal 9 on the horizon, the community focused on preparing for a smooth and seamless transition. The development approach adopted for Drupal 9 was unique: rather than introducing a completely overhauled system, Drupal 9 was built directly on top of Drupal 8.
Drupal 9 was officially released on June 3, 2020. The main goal was to remove deprecated code and update core dependencies, like Symfony, to their latest versions. This made the platform faster, more secure, and compatible with the latest technologies.
Thanks to the forward-thinking design of Drupal 8, the upgrade path to Drupal 9 was one of the smoothest in the platform’s history.
2020 - 2024
Drupal 9.1 and beyond
After the release of Drupal 9.0, the focus shifted to incremental improvements. Updates like Drupal 9.1, 9.2, and beyond have introduced enhancements in performance, usability, and developer experience.
The platform continues to add new features while staying true to the core principles that have driven its development for over two decades.
Building on the robust foundation of Drupal 9, Drupal 10 brought an array of modern features, performance enhancements, and cutting-edge tools that ensured the platform stayed relevant in a fast-changing digital landscape.
Drupal 10 introduces the next chapter in its evolution
December 2022
The release of Drupal 10 on December 14, 2022, marked another milestone in the history of Drupal, representing the next phase in the platform’s ever-evolving journey.
Building on the robust foundation of Drupal 9, Drupal 10 brought an array of modern features, performance enhancements, and cutting-edge tools that ensured the platform stayed relevant in a fast-changing digital landscape.
Key features of Drupal 10
Drupal 10 introduced a range of advancements aimed at enhancing the user experience, streamlining development workflows, and ensuring long-term support and compatibility. Here’s a look at some of the standout features:
With the ongoing rise of decoupled and headless CMS architectures, Drupal 10 continued to strengthen its position as a leading platform for building modern web applications.
By expanding its API-first capabilities, Drupal 10 made it easier for developers to use the platform as a backend content hub while delivering rich, interactive frontend experiences using frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js.
The emphasis on GraphQL and robust REST API support ensured that Drupal 10 remained a top choice for organizations that needed to distribute content seamlessly across multiple channels and devices.
August 2024
The release of Drupal 11 on August 2, 2024, marked another leap forward in the evolution of the CMS. This version is packed with features designed to improve performance, streamline development, and enhance user experiences.
Drupal 11 builds on everything that makes this CMS great, enhancing usability for developers, content creators, and administrators. It’s more efficient, streamlined, and user-friendly, ensuring a smooth experience for anyone building on the platform.
Here’s an overview of key initiatives and features of Drupal 11:
Core updates include Symfony 7.1.1, CKEditor 5, and other backend dependencies, while older modules like Actions UI, Book, and Forum are moving out of Core to lighten maintenance.
Frontend updates modernize the UI experience, while over 100 languages remain supported with continued multilingual improvements.
Unveiled by Dries Buytaert at DrupalCon Portland in 2024, the Drupal Starshot project marks a significant leap forward for the CMS. It seeks to address longstanding criticisms about Drupal’s complexity and steep learning curve, especially compared to more user-friendly platforms like WordPress or Wix.
Inspired by JFK’s “Moonshot” speech, Starshot is an ambitious initiative aimed at making Drupal far more accessible and intuitive for non-technical users, without sacrificing its enterprise-level capabilities.
Aimed at simplifying the setup process, Recipes provide detailed, pre-configured solutions for common use cases like blogs, ecommerce sites, or content governance setups.
A major upgrade from the current Layout Builder, Experience Builder introduces a more intuitive, drag-and-drop interface built with React.
The Starshot project prioritizes comprehensive guides and user-friendly documentation, making it easier for new users to get started and understand how to use Drupal effectively.
Addressing one of the biggest pain points in website management, Starshot introduces automated updates for core and modules.
The Starshot initiative also outlines the integration of AI to simplify content and component creation.
This feature performs like a smart search engine and transforms the way users find and install modules.
By incorporating these enhancements, Starshot aims to position Drupal as a more compelling choice for marketers, content creators, and small to medium-sized businesses, while maintaining its appeal to large enterprises and developers.
From a small dorm room project to a digital powerhouse powering global giants, Drupal’s story is as much about vision as it is about community.
Dries Buytaert’s dream of a more open, inclusive, and flexible web has found a home in thousands of hands, including major organizations like the Grammy Awards, NASA, and the Australian Government. The community — the developers, content creators, and volunteers — has turned this vision into a dynamic reality, continuously innovating and making Drupal a top choice for the most agile and resilient digital projects.
Brands like Major League Soccer, Pfizer, and Harvard University rely on Drupal’s unparalleled flexibility, and cultural icons like The Beatles and Bruno Mars have trusted it to deliver memorable, high-traffic experiences.
What unites them all is Drupal’s enduring ability to adapt and support ambitious goals, whether in entertainment, government, or global humanitarian efforts.
In the words of Dries Buytaert
Optimizing for impact means caring about people you don’t know. That, for me, has made me passionate about building an open web. A web that’s there for everyone, that is safe, that is accessible, that is inclusive.
Attico International has been a dedicated contributor to the Drupal community, actively engaging in various initiatives to advance the platform. Our efforts span a range of contributions, from developing and maintaining essential Drupal modules to participating in community-driven events like DrupalCon and local meetups. By sharing innovative solutions and providing thought leadership, Attico has helped shape the ecosystem and inspire other developers.
It’s this commitment to inclusivity and innovation that ensures Drupal continues to evolve, making the web better for everyone, everywhere.
