Drupal is a flexible content management system (CMS) based on the LAMP stack, a modular design that allows you to swap out features quickly and easily by installing and uninstalling modules. At the same time, installing and uninstalling themes allows the entire look and feel of the website to change. The base of the Drupal download is known as Drupal Core, which contains the PHP scripts needed to run the basic functions of the CMS, several optional modules and themes, many JavaScript, CSS, and image assets. You can also download more modules and themes from Drupal’s website.
Drupal Is An Open Source CMS
An open-source CMS such as Drupal features a source code that’s open to the public and is free to use by anyone with restrictions depending on the license. Using an open-source CMS like Drupal, you can continually test and develop the product; engaged programmers assist with constantly improving the code.
Drupal is maintained by a global community of contributors and the Drupal Association, with websites ranging from small nonprofits to large government and enterprise platforms.
What Is Drupal Used For?
Drupal's flexibility means it shows up in a wide range of use cases, not just one type of website. Government and public sector websites lean on Drupal for its security track record and accessibility support. Higher education institutions use it to run everything from a university's main site to dozens of department microsites under one system. Large enterprises and media organizations use Drupal for high-traffic, content-heavy websites that need to scale. With modules like Drupal Commerce, it can also run online stores, and its API-first architecture makes it a common choice for headless and decoupled builds, intranets, and knowledge bases.
What's New in Drupal? Drupal 11, Drupal 12, and Drupal CMS
Drupal hasn't stood still since 2022. The platform now runs on a two-year major release cycle, has grown a separate marketer-friendly distribution called Drupal CMS, and ships with AI built into the editing experience rather than bolted on as a plugin. Here's what's changed, and what's coming next.
Drupal 11 and Drupal 12
Drupal 11 launched in 2024 and brought a more predictable release schedule: a new major version roughly every two years, with about two years of active support followed by two more years of security-only support. Drupal 12 is scheduled to arrive the week of December 7, 2026. Drupal 10 reaches end of life on December 9, 2026, so any site still running Drupal 10 needs an upgrade plan now.
Drupal CMS and Canvas
Drupal CMS is a newer distribution built on top of Drupal core, aimed at marketers and content teams rather than developers. It bundles a curated set of modules and smart defaults so a site can be up and running without custom development for every small change. Drupal CMS 2.0, released in January 2026, added Canvas, a visual, drag-and-drop page builder that lets non-developers design and edit pages with a live preview.
Built-In AI Capabilities
Drupal now ships with a built-in AI framework, including dozens of AI agents for tasks like content generation, SEO suggestions, and styling. AI-generated changes are queued for human review rather than published automatically, so editorial control still sits with your team.
Having the Right Development Team Is a Must
Most Drupal websites sport a custom-coded theme or a highly customized theme, meaning that you’ll need to have an experienced development team to ensure the look and feel are professional. Quality Drupal creative design & theming services will provide expertise in layout design and spacing, interface design, and UX/UI to give your site a unique and professional look. This includes fully mobile, responsive themes. Drupal is not beginner-friendly, so having experienced developers and creators working with you to use Drupal to make your site beautiful and functional is key. Knowledgeable Drupal developers will build a Drupal experience that meets the custom business needs of each customer. They should have the ability to build a new Drupal website for you or upgrade your existing site to the latest Drupal technology. Drupal integration services with industry-leading enterprise software can create great user experiences and having the right development team that can create a Drupal roadmap will put you on the road to success.
That said, Drupal CMS and its Canvas builder have made the day-to-day easier for non-developers, so “not beginner-friendly” is less true than it used to be for basic content and layout changes. Custom development still matters most for complex integrations, migrations, and anything highly customized.
Drupal as a Content Management System (CMS)
Drupal content management makes creating a small and simple site with static HTML a quick process. While initially setting up a site in a CMS generally requires more time, you get the benefits of online editing, uniformity, and the possibility of creating more complex features that require a database. As you move forward, making edits is easier for less experienced content creators. Drupal is an experienced CMS, meaning that it has undergone many changes to remove bugs, improve functionality, and ensure your site, and the information stored, is secure. Drupal's fully customizable and adaptable features are built to meet the unique needs of each customer. In addition, Drupal is built with decoupled application architecture and includes API-driven content management, custom content authoring workflows, multi-channel content delivery, and customer personalization. It provides enterprise-level performance, security, and scaling.
Contact Our Drupal Experts Today
Americaneagle.com, a trusted web development agency and Drupal partner, has over three decades of experience successfully helping businesses achieve powerful results with their online presence. We have deep knowledge of open-source development and have the experience and expertise to fully maximize Drupal’s customizable, adaptable, and scalable offerings. Our team includes multiple Drupal-certified developers and programmers that will ensure your Drupal website design meets all your business goals.
Americaneagle.com's Drupal work spans industries: we upgraded AMA Credentialing Services onto Drupal on Acquia Cloud to improve performance and SEO, and built a new Drupal site for the Wyoming Community College Commission, including a secure grant management portal built to government-level security standards.
Already have a Drupal website? Let’s talk about an upgrade! Staying up to date with the latest version of Drupal is vital to your website’s success and security. Americaneagle.com can help you identify priorities and goals to expertly plan your upgrade path and ensure your ability to innovate and leverage new features. We’ll connect with you a Drupal expert for a consultation specific to your company’s needs.
This matters right now: Drupal 10 reaches end of life on December 9, 2026, so sites still on Drupal 10 should be planning their move to Drupal 11 or Drupal CMS. For more on the process, see our guide, Why Migrate Your Site to the Drupal CMS.
Contact us today for more information on how we can help you!
Frequently Asked Questions About Drupal
A few common questions about Drupal, answered.
What does Drupal mean?
Drupal comes from the Dutch word “druppel,” meaning “drop” (as in a drop of water). It's the name of both the open-source content management system and the global community that builds it.
What is Drupal used for?
Drupal is used to build and manage websites of almost any size, from small business sites to large government, education, and enterprise platforms. It's also used for intranets, online stores, and headless or API-driven builds.
Is Drupal free to use?
Yes. Drupal is released under the GNU General Public License, so it's free to download, use, and modify. Costs typically come from hosting, custom development, and ongoing support rather than the software itself.
What's the difference between Drupal and Drupal CMS?
Drupal (Drupal core) is the underlying platform developers build on. Drupal CMS is a distribution built on top of that core, aimed at marketers and content teams, with a curated set of modules and the Canvas visual page builder included by default.
When does Drupal 10 reach end of life?
Drupal 10 reaches end of life on December 9, 2026. Sites still running it should plan an upgrade to Drupal 11 or Drupal CMS before then.
