Drupal End of Life

Important: Drupal 7 End-of-Life

 Drupal 7 stopped receiving security updates in January 2025. If you're still running Drupal 7, your site is vulnerable to security issues. We've successfully upgraded dozens of Drupal 7 sites to the latest version. Let's talk about yours.

Drupal Migrations & Upgrades

This process depends entirely on the version of Drupal you're currently using but don't worry!  We've done lots of these and are ready to help.

Drupal upgrades

From Drupal 7

To upgrade to the current version of Drupal, we must migrate the data, users, configuration, and content from the existing site into a new installation of Drupal.

Themes, templates, custom modules, and custom Javascript are then rewritten or redesigned to work with the current version of Drupal.

What gets migrated:

  • All your content (pages, blog posts, custom content types)
  • Users and their permissions
  • Files, images, and media
  • Menu structure and navigation
  • URL paths (so your links don't break)

What gets rebuilt:

  • Your theme (updated to be mobile-responsive)
  • Custom modules (rewritten using modern Drupal APIs)
  • Any custom JavaScript or CSS

Drupal Association Migration partner

From Drupal 8-10

First we upgrade PHP to version 8 and fix any incompatibilities.  Next we can upgrade Drupal and it's contributed modules.

For the most part, only minor changes to templates and custom modules are required.

The architecture of Drupal 8, 9, 10, and 11 is similar, so these upgrades are much more straightforward than coming from Drupal 7.

Typical process:

  1. Update your hosting environment (PHP 8.1+, current database version)
  2. Upgrade Drupal core to the next major version
  3. Update all contributed modules to compatible versions
  4. Test and fix any issues with custom code
  5. Repeat for each major version until you're current

Why Upgrade Your Drupal Site?

Enhanced Security

Outdated versions of Drupal are more vulnerable to security risks. With an upgrade, you'll benefit from the latest security patches and features to protect your site from threats and attacks.

Drupal 7 is no longer receiving security updates, which means vulnerabilities won't be patched. This is a significant risk.

Improved Performance

Newer Drupal versions come with optimizations that make your site faster and more efficient. Modern Drupal includes:

  • Better caching (fewer database queries, faster page loads)
  • Modern PHP (2-3× faster than older versions)
  • Optimized database queries
  • Built-in performance tools

Access to New Features

Stay ahead of the curve with the latest tools and features Drupal offers. Modern Drupal includes:

  • Layout Builder: Drag-and-drop page building (no code required)
  • Media Library: Much better image and file management
  • Responsive Images: Automatic image optimization for different screen sizes
  • Better Mobile Admin: Manage your site from your phone
  • API-First: Connect your Drupal site to mobile apps, other systems, etc.

Better Scalability

As your business grows, so do your website's needs. A Drupal upgrade allows your site to scale seamlessly, handling increased traffic, new functionalities, and more complex content structures.

Enhanced User Experience

With each new version, Drupal introduces enhanced themes, modules, and user interfaces.

Your upgraded site will:

  • Work better on mobile devices
  • Be more accessible for users with disabilities
  • Provide a better experience for your content editors
  • Look more modern and professional

How We Approach Upgrades

Every site is different, so we start by understanding your specific situation.

1. Site Audit

We evaluate your current Drupal site to understand:

  • What version you're running
  • How much content you have
  • What contributed modules you're using
  • What custom code you have (and whether it can be replaced with contrib modules)
  • Any third-party integrations (payment gateways, CRMs, etc.)

2. Planning & Estimates

Based on the audit, we provide:

  • A detailed project estimate
  • A realistic timeline
  • Recommendations for improvements

This consultation is free and there's no obligation. We're happy to provide an estimate you can use for planning or to compare with other vendors.

3. Development

We build your new site in a development environment while your current site stays live. You don't experience any downtime during development.

We'll show you the work-in-progress and incorporate your feedback before launch.

4. Testing

Before launch, we thoroughly test:

  • All functionality works as expected
  • Content migrated correctly
  • Forms work and send emails properly
  • The site looks good on desktop, tablet, and mobile
  • Performance and page speed

5. Launch

When everything's tested and you've approved the new site, we schedule a launch during a time that works for you (often outside business hours).

The actual cutover typically takes 1-2 hours. We do a final sync of any content that was added to the old site, switch the DNS, and you're live.

6. Post-Launch Support

After launch, we provide ongoing support to fix any issues that come up and answer questions about managing your new site.

No. We build the new site separately while your current site stays up. When we're ready to launch, there's a brief switchover (typically 1-2 hours, often scheduled outside business hours) but we have a rollback plan if anything goes wrong.

We have a few options:

  • Rewrite them for the new version using modern Drupal code
  • Replace them with contributed modules if equivalent functionality exists
  • Eliminate them if the functionality is no longer needed or is now built into Drupal core

We'll review each custom module during the audit phase and recommend the best approach.

Yes, 100% of your content gets migrated. We don't delete anything without asking you first.

We do filter out obvious spam (like spam comments) and give you the option to clean up content you no longer need.

Absolutely. Many of our clients use the upgrade as an opportunity to refresh their design. This does add time and cost to the project, but it's often more efficient than doing them separately.

Maybe. Modern Drupal has different requirements than older versions:

  • PHP 8.1 or newer (8.3 recommended)
  • MySQL 5.7.8+ or MariaDB 10.3.7+
  • Composer support
  • SSH access (for running drush commands)

If your current host doesn't meet these requirements we can help you move to a host that does, or better still, host the site ourselves.

It really depends on your site. The main factors are:

  • How much content you have
  • How much custom code needs to be rewritten
  • Whether you want design changes
  • Your timeline

We provide free estimates based on an audit of your site. We've worked with budgets ranging from small business sites to large enterprise installations.

Get a Free Estimate

If you're looking to make your Drupal site more secure, faster, and easier to manage, it's time to upgrade. Whether you're moving from Drupal 7 or just need to get current from an older version, we're here to help.

Here's how to get started:

  1. Contact us using the form below or call (703) 879-6985
  2. We'll schedule a call to discuss your site and what you need
  3. We'll audit your site and provide a detailed estimate (no charge for this)
  4. If you want to proceed, we'll get started on the upgrade

There's no obligation and no pressure. We're happy to provide an estimate even if you're just planning ahead or comparing options.