Drupal Experts Blog

External links are valuable tools for your website to interact with, load resources, or consume services across the web. Some basic examples are the URL of a YouTube video, an image stored on a different server, or a link to a resource provided by a CDN (Content Delivery Network), such as a font or a JavaScript library.

For your website to work according to your needs and users' expectations, it is important that the links pointing to the various external resources operate normally and do not return errors such as timeouts or the typical 404 (Not found).

Doing this type of “URL scanning” manually can be quite a tedious task, especially considering that faults are usually corrected only when we identify them ourselves or when a third party reports them to us.

With the conclusion of our new project, the Grupo Éxito Providers Portal, we have overcome a great technical challenge and, at the same time, we have grown in knowledge, testing our ability to adapt and work as a team. From the beginning, we assumed the mission of modernizing the platform with an innovative architecture, ensuring an agile, secure, and aligned system with the needs of the business. 

To achieve a robust and efficient platform, we opted for an architecture based on Drupal for the backend and Next.js for the frontend. Implementing this technological combination was an exciting challenge, as it was our first dive into Next.js and gave us the opportunity to explore new ways to optimize web development and improve our technical capabilities.

This week, part of the Seed EM team had the opportunity to attend DrupalCon Atlanta 2025, and as is tradition, it all started with the DriesNote, the keynote by Dries Buytaert, founder of Drupal.

The atmosphere was charged with energy, and no surprise there. Dries opened the keynote with a clear vision: Drupal is not only evolving technically, it is refocusing its purpose around simplicity, experience and accessibility.

Drupal CMS 1.0: a new beginning

One of the most important announcements was the official, stable release of Drupal CMS 1.0, a fully packaged, out-of-the-box version designed to simplify the experience for new users. This new distribution offers a modern, intuitive configuration and lowers the barrier to entry historically associated with Drupal.

This guide will help you install DDEV and set up a local Drupal CMS environment on Windows (WSL2 + Ubuntu) and macOS in a simple and efficient way.

Guide for Windows (WSL2 + Ubuntu)

Step 1: Install WSL2 and Ubuntu

WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) allows you to run a Linux environment on Windows.

Much has been said about Drupal's big shift to a broader and different audience than the one we were used to. Drupal CMS is designed for those who are looking for an easy-to-manage solution without relying on developers.

Wasn't Drupal already a CMS? What's the difference?

Drupal has always been a CMS (Content Management System), but the difference is that Drupal CMS is a specialized version of Drupal Core. Its goal is to offer a fast, friendly and preconfigured solution for those who need to manage content without technical knowledge.

Nowadays, fast and direct communication with users is essential to improve the experience on any website built with Drupal. To facilitate this contact, the Whatsapp Button module offers a simple and effective solution within the Drupal ecosystem.

What does this module do?

The Whatsapp Button module allows you to add a configurable block anywhere on the site, providing direct access to Whatsapp. With this button, users can start a conversation immediately with a single click.

When it comes to managing users in Drupal, flexibility and permissions control are key aspects to ensure efficient management. In this sense, the Administer Users by Role Custom Actions module extends the functionality of the base Administer Users by Role module, providing new options for user administration.

What does this module do?

This module allows sub-administrators, with appropriate permissions, to lock and unlock users with allowed roles. With this extension, organizations can delegate user management without compromising security or granting excessive permissions.

In today’s digital landscape, having a website optimized for search engines (SEO) is essential to stand out from the competition. At Seed, we are experts in Drupal, and we share key recommendations to ensure the success of any website.

1. Create Friendly URLs

It’s crucial that URLs are clear, descriptive, and easy to understand for both users and search engines.

Example:
Instead of using a URL like:
www.yoursite.com/node/123
Opt for something like:
www.yoursite.com/services/digital-consultancy
This not only improves the user experience but also makes it easier for search engines to index the page.
To complement this information, you can look for Google’s recommendations at this link.

On January 15, 2025, the global Drupal community celebrated a historic event with the official launch of Drupal CMS, a tool designed to simplify and accelerate the creation of high-impact websites. At Seed EM, experts in Drupal development, we are excited to explore the possibilities this new solution offers to transform digital content management.

Initially known as Drupal Starshot, Drupal CMS positions itself as the perfect solution for projects seeking fast and efficient implementation without the need for complex custom development. This system complements Drupal Core, the standard for large-scale projects and advanced customization.