Drupal 11 and the upcoming Drupal 12 represent major milestones in the evolution of the Drupal CMS. These versions focus on developer experience, editorial workflows, performance, and modern architecture. With Drupal 11 already released and Drupal 12 expected in mid-2026, let’s explore what’s new, what’s improved, and what’s coming next.
🚀 Key Features in Drupal 11
1. Recipes
- Pre-configured bundles of modules, content types, and settings.
- Speeds up site setup for common use cases like blogs, forums, and e-commerce.
- Will be central to the Drupal Starshot initiative.
2. Single Directory Components (SDC)
- All component files (Twig, CSS, JS) are stored in one directory.
- Improves reusability, maintainability, and integration with tools like Storybook.
3. Workspaces
- Allows staging of content and configuration changes.
- Publish all changes together when ready.
4. New Navigation UI
- Vertical sidebar menu with collapsible blocks.
- Improves admin UX and accessibility.
5. CKEditor 5 Integration
- Replaces CKEditor 4.
- Offers better formatting, collaboration, and extensibility.
6. Symfony 7 & PHP 8.3 Support
- Modern tech stack ensures better performance and security.
7. Advanced Media Management
- WebP support for images.
- Revision editing for media entities.
8. Access Policy API
- Fine-grained access control beyond roles and permissions.
🔮 What’s Expected in Drupal 12
Drupal 12 is scheduled for release in June 2026, with beta versions expected by March–April 2026. Key expectations include:
- Full integration of Recipes and Starshot UI
- Further decoupling support with enhanced JSON:API and Linkset
- Improved multilingual and accessibility features
- More stable Layout Builder enhancements
- Removal of deprecated modules and APIs
- Better support for AI-driven content workflows
📊 Drupal 11 vs Drupal 12 – Comparison Table
| Feature | Drupal 11 | Drupal 12 (Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | August 2024 | June 2026 |
| CKEditor | CKEditor 5 | CKEditor 5 with extended plugins |
| PHP Support | PHP 8.3 | PHP 8.4+ |
| Symfony Version | Symfony 7 | Symfony 7+ |
| Recipes | Experimental | Stable & integrated with Starshot |
| Navigation UI | Experimental vertical menu | Stable with Top Bar enhancements |
| Layout Builder | Stable | Enhanced with dynamic blocks |
| Media Management | WebP, revisions | AI tagging, auto optimization |
| Access Control | Access Policy API | Extended access workflows |
| Decoupled Support | Linkset for menus | Full decoupled starter kits |
🧪 Example: Using a Recipe in Drupal 11
Shell
drush recipe:apply blog
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This command installs a blog recipe that sets up:
- Content type: Blog Post
- Views: Recent Posts
- Permissions: Author role
- Theme: Claro with blog layout
❓ FAQs
Q1: What are Drupal Recipes?
A: Recipes are pre-configured bundles that automate site setup for common use cases.
Q2: Is Drupal 11 backward compatible with Drupal 10?
A: Yes, but deprecated modules and APIs have been removed. Use the Upgrade Status module to check compatibility.
Q3: What is Starshot?
A: A new initiative to make Drupal easier for non-developers by offering browser-based site setup using Recipes.
Q4: Will Drupal 12 require a full rebuild?
A: No. If your site is on Drupal 11 and follows best practices, upgrading to Drupal 12 should be smooth.
Q5: What’s the minimum PHP version for Drupal 12?
A: Expected to be PHP 8.4 or higher.
