Best Practises for Drupal Maintenance

8/14/2019 Best Practises for Drupal Maintenance

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Robert Castelo, Code Positive Ltd.

Best Practises For

Dru al Maintenance


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If Youre In

Charge Of A Project


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Get A Good Team

DeveloperThemer

Designer

Configuration(er)


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How To

Evaluate Candidates?


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Look At Involvementwww.drupal.org

user account

See: modules themes

documentation

years involved


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Check Work Quality

Coder module

tests for compliance with Drupal coding style

www.drupal.org/project/coder


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Client Testimonials

What do heads of

other Drupal

projects say about

the candidate?


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If Youre Configuring

A Website


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Modules & Themes

modules & themes directories are for core Drupal

- NEVER install into them


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Sites Directory

Every file you add to your

Drupal site should live in

the sites directory.

This makes it easier to keep

your site updated.


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Sites Default

sites/default/modules - used by a single site.

Recommended in most cases.


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Sites All

Installed modules used by multiple sites.

Only recommended if all sites use the same code base.


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Modules Sub-directories

Modules can be separated into contrib and custom

(internal development) for easier maintenance


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Update StatusKeep up to date (Drupal 6 & 7 built in)Drupal 5: drupal.org/project/update_status


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If Youre

Developing A Site


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Separate Logic / Presentation


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Module Theme


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Modular

Easier to Code

Code is Re-usable

Easier to Maintain


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Rapid Development

& Less Maintenance

Less Code To Create

Less Code to Maintain


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Avoid Spaghetti Code

Standard API

Strict Formatting


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www.drupal.org/coding-standards


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Code Documentation

Well documented code improves maintainability


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API ModuleConvert documentation in code into web pages

api.drupal.org www.drupal.org/project/api


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Quick Tips

t(Example text)Enable interface text to be translated

l() andurl() for links at end of file


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Local Module

Create a Local module to addsmall custom tweeks


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Views In Module

Store your custom Views in a module

improves performance easier to move (dev to live) puts views in version control

www.mc-kenna.com/drupal/2009/05/managing-drupal-views-the-proper-way


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Keep PHP Out Of

The Database Easier to maintain code

Easier to find Easier to upgrade Under version control

If you must put PHP in a block, view, node....put code in a function in your Local module

then just call the function


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Use Version ControlEnables code to be rolled back,

and teams to work on same code

CVShttp://www.nongnu.org/cvs

SVNhttp://subversion.tigris.org/

GIThttp://git-scm.com/

...


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Maintenance Tools

D l M d l


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Devel ModuleEssential development tools

http://drupal.org/project/devel

D l M d l
http://www.drupal.org/project/coderhttp://www.drupal.org/project/coder


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Devel ModuleAlso good for theme building


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Coder ModuleAutomatic validation of module & themes

www.drupal.org/project/coder
http://www.drupal.org/project/coderhttp://www.drupal.org/project/coder


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Simple TestAutomated tests of your code

check new code doesnt break the oldwww.drupal.org/project/simpletest

M d M d l
http://www.drupal.org/project/simpletesthttp://www.drupal.org/project/simpletest


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Mas uerade ModuleLog in as a different user, test roles

www.drupal.org/project/masquerade


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Questions


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Image Credits

http://www.iconeden.com/icon/free/get/milky-a-free-vector-iconset

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elyob/213880107

http://www.flickr.com/photos/evilerin/3078856253

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28796269@N05/3225819794

http://www.flickr.com/photos/egadapparel/3212007816

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildcat_dunny/318732519/

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