With the release of Drupal 10 in June 2021, the Drupal community has been focused on making the most of the new features that this new release has brought with it, in addition to all the improvements that make it easier than ever to create an experience digital headless.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a “headless” approach refers to a system architecture in which the user interface (frontend) is separated from the content management platform (backend). Instead of having a frontend and backend integrated into a single platform, developers can use any frontend technology to connect to the content management platform using an API.
Drupal 10 has significantly improved its support for APIs, allowing developers to easily create content and resources programmatically. Additionally, the new release also includes improvements in security, scalability, and performance, making it an excellent choice for implementing a headless architecture.
With Drupal 10, developers can create a headless digital experience using any frontend technology, such as React, Angular, or Vue.js, allowing them to build modern, highly customized web and mobile applications. Additionally, by separating the user interface from the content management platform, development teams can work more efficiently and quickly, as they don’t have to worry about dealing with compatibility issues between different technologies.
Of course, as with any technology, there are challenges to implementing a headless architecture. It is important to ensure that you have the necessary skills and knowledge on your development team to work with APIs and other necessary technologies. To ensure the success of a Drupal project and particularly a headless one, it is important to have a minimum team of:
- Drupal Developer: Must have experience developing Drupal modules and themes, as well as configuring and customizing them.
- Front-end developer: Must have experience in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Angular, Vue.JS etc... and be familiar with accessibility and performance best practices.
- Back-end Developer: Must have experience with PHP and using the Drupal API to integrate with other systems.
- Solutions Architect: Must have experience planning and designing scalable and scalable software solutions.
- Project Manager/Scrum Master: Must have experience in project management and implementing agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban.
- UX/UI Designer: Must have experience creating intuitive and attractive designs for web applications.
- QA Engineer: Must have experience in automated and manual testing, and be familiar with quality best practices in software development.
It is also important to note that the headless approach is not suitable for all projects, and must be evaluated based on the specific needs of the project, generating a number of aspects to take into account.
A decoupled Drupal project presents several challenges, including:
- Integration with external systems: Requires integration with a variety of external systems, such as databases, third-party applications, and APIs. This can be complicated due to differences in data formats and security restrictions.
- Scalability: It must be scalable to handle a large volume of traffic and data. This requires a solid architecture and the use of horizontal scalability technologies.
- Performance: It must be fast and efficient to ensure a satisfactory user experience. This requires performance optimization on the front-end and back-end.
- Accessibility: It must be accessible to all users, regardless of their capacities or devices. This requires the implementation of accessibility standards and accessibility testing.
- Security: It must be secure to protect user data and prevent attacks. This requires the implementation of security measures, such as authentication and authorization, data encryption and security monitoring.
- Testing: Requires a thorough testing both automated and manual, especially when dealing with integrations with external systems.
- Communication and collaboration: A decoupled project may involve multiple teams and stakeholders, requiring clear communication and effective collaboration.
It's also important to keep in mind that not all digital projects apply to a “headless” architecture; a decoupled Drupal project should not be considered in the following cases:
- If you do not have the technical team and the necessary skills, the implementation of a decoupled project requires expertise in systems integration, scalability, performance, accessibility, security and testing, and it is necessary to have a technical team specialized in these areas.
- If you do not have the budget, the implementation of a decoupled project may be more expensive due to the complexity of the integration with external systems and the necessary security measures.
- If the project does not require integration with external systems, a monolithic project may be a more suitable option.
- If the project does not require scalability, a monolithic project might be a more suitable option.
- If the project does not require a customized user experience, a monolithic project might be a more suitable option.
- If the project does not require integration with other platforms, a monolithic project might be a more suitable option.
In general, if the project does not require scalability, integration with other systems, customization of the user experience and high security, a monolithic project could be a more suitable option. However, otherwise the decoupled project would be a better option.
Drupal 10 and the headless approach are a great match for creating highly personalized and scalable digital experiences. Take advantage of the power of Drupal as a digital experience management platform and combine it with any technology.
At SeeD EM, Drupal Experts in Colombia, we have developed several decoupled projects and we have the human team and technical knowledge to carry out any “headless” architecture project.