Drupal Modules: The Top 10 Essential Modules Every Site Builder Should Know
The power of Drupal largely stems from its modular architecture, allowing site builders to extend and customize their website's functionality with ease. Thousands of contributed modules are available, but there are some that consistently stand out due to their universal utility and robustness. Here are the top 10 essential Drupal modules every site builder should be acquainted with:
1. Views
Purpose: A powerful query builder to fetch and present content in various formats, such as lists, slideshows, grids, and more.
Highlights: Offers a UI for creating content displays, integrating seamlessly with other modules and Drupal's core fields.
2. Pathauto
Purpose: Automatically generates URL patterns (aliases) for content, ensuring clean and SEO-friendly URLs.
Highlights: Integrates with the 'Token' module to provide dynamic URL patterns based on fields, terms, or other entity data.
3. Chaos Tool Suite (ctools)
Purpose: A set of APIs and tools to assist module developers.
Highlights: Although it operates mostly behind the scenes, many other modules rely on ctools for modal dialogs, content panes, and more.
4. Token
Purpose: Provides token replacements (placeholders) that can be used in various modules and configurations.
Highlights: Central to creating dynamic configurations, such as URL patterns in 'Pathauto' or dynamic values in fields.
5. Webform
Purpose: Allows site builders to create forms for surveys, contact forms, feedback, and more.
Highlights: Offers a user-friendly interface with an extensive set of form components and integrates with various third-party services.
6. Backup and Migrate
Purpose: Provides an easy way to backup or migrate the Drupal site's database, files, and code.
Highlights: Essential for site maintenance, with scheduling options and support for multiple backup destinations.
7. Metatag
Purpose: Enables the addition of meta tags (for SEO and social media) to your Drupal site.
Highlights: Supports a wide range of meta tags, from basic SEO titles and descriptions to OpenGraph and Twitter Cards.
8. Redirect
Purpose: Allows administrators to create and manage redirects for URLs, ensuring users and search engines are directed to the correct page.
Highlights: Useful for handling changed URLs, avoiding broken links, and managing URL aliases.
9. Entity API
Purpose: Extends the entity API of Drupal core, providing a unified way to deal with entities and their properties.
Highlights: Essential for developers and site builders working with custom content entities or extending existing ones.
10. Admin Toolbar
Purpose: Improves the default Drupal Toolbar, providing drop-down menus and faster administrative navigation.
Highlights: A simple yet impactful enhancement for site administrators, streamlining backend navigation.
Conclusion
These ten modules represent just a fraction of the expansive Drupal ecosystem. Still, their versatility and functionality make them indispensable tools for site builders of all expertise levels. Whether you're setting up a simple blog or a complex enterprise site, these modules will likely find a place in your toolkit. As always, it's crucial to ensure that any module you choose is compatible with your Drupal version and maintained actively by the community.
