DrupalCons are always a highlight in the calendar at Zoocha and we were extremely excited about Barcelona 2024 for several reasons:
- Much anticipated news and update on the Starshot project (now called 'Drupal CMS')
- The Zoocha team were presenting sessions across three different tracks
- Gareth Alexander, our newest Senior Drupal Developer, was presenting as part of the Drupal CMS Track Leads keynote
- The 'Network of European Drupal Associations' (NEDA) had a stand for the first time, where Drupal England & Wales was represented
Starshot (now Drupal CMS)
The Driesnote (the headline keynote session from Dries Buytaert, founder of Drupal) is always a much anticipated fixture of DrupalCon and Barcelona, roughly estimated by Dries to be his 40th, was no exception. Add to that the promise of updates on the progress of Starshot, the project to create Drupal's 'low code' default CMS product (now called Drupal CMS for obvious reasons!) and expectations were reaching fever pitch.
Well, the crowd were not left disappointed. You can watch the full Driesnote on the Drupal Association YouTube channel, but the headlines are:
- Getting set up on Drupal CMS will be really easy. With no technical knowledge or experience, you will be able to install Drupal within a browser tab, navigate through some options to define the key 'smart default' features of your website and voilà - you are up and running.
- Drupal CMS will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) features to assist the creation of your website. Just describe what you want to do and the 'Drupal Agent' will come up with AND implement the solution for you.
- Functionality 'recipes' will make it really simple for web managers to extend their websites without the need for developers.
- Migrate content using AI. Imagine entering the URL of the page you want to migrate content from and then have your CMS grab and organise that content into the structure of your new website... well imagine no longer!
- Experience Builder (XB) is coming!!! XB is a transformed way of managing content that makes the process more visual and intuitive. Although closely tied to the Starshot project, XB will ultimately become the default back end experience for any Drupal implementation.
- Drupal CMS 1.0 launches on 15th January 2025 (Drupal's 24th Birthday!).
The Zoocha Sessions
Four members of our team had the opportunity to present at DrupalCon Barcelona. Kicking off the Zoocha sessions was Hannah O'Leary, our Business Development Manager, focusing on how best to prepare your pitch team for success in an increasingly competitive agency environment. This session highlighted the importance of supporting team members, clear communication and maximising the use of time in a pitch scenario.
I was up next to get the ball rolling on Thursday morning, tackling all things cookies, from the basics of how cookies work through to how we can be optimising user experiences, analytics and marketing attribution. The focus was very much centered prioritising user privacy and legal compliance whilst still ensuring you have the insight and control to make your website a success.
This session was immediately followed by our Front End Technical Lead, Paul Sebborn, sharing their expertise and insight into the world of accessibility. Paul focused on accessibility from an editor perspective, providing tips and tricks for Drupal editors when creating content that needs to meet standards of accessibility.
Keeping the accessibility focus going, our Senior Drupal Developer, Gareth Alexander, Drupal CMS Accessibility Track Lead, presented as part of the Starshot Initiative Leads Keynote. Alongside a selection of track team leads, Gareth shared the work completed to far to ensure accessibility is a fundamental focus in the development of Drupal CMS.
The keynote was delivered to a packed auditorium, highlighting the genuine excitement for Drupal CMS within the Drupal community.
You can check out all of our sessions, and the Keynote at the following links:
- Drupal CMS Initiave Leads with Gareth Alexander
- Preparing your agency pitch team with Hannah O'Leary
- Everything cookies with Will Huggins
- Practical accessibility tips for editors with Paul Sebborn