TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Drupal 10 Upgrade Process
- Timeline for the Drupal 10 Upgrade
- Special Considerations
- Conclusion
- Related articles
Introduction
The upcoming end of life (EOL) for Drupal 9 necessitates a crucial upgrade for all websites - the transition to Drupal 10. This guide provides a detailed overview of the upgrade process, designed to ensure the continued support, optimal performance, and robust security of your website.
Prerequisites
Before embarking on the upgrade process, it's essential to meet the following prerequisites:
- Your website should be running on Drupal 9.4.x or 9.5.x.
- Your website should be hosted on either the Salsa Digital hosting platform, the amazee.io hosting platform, or the GovCMS Platform as a Service (PaaS).
- Please note, customers hosted on other platforms may require adjustments to the process outlined below. Any such changes will be clarified during the progress on related support tickets.
Drupal 10 Upgrade Process
The upgrade process unfolds over three sequential stages. Each stage is encapsulated within a separate support ticket to facilitate clear tracking and communication.
Stage 1: CKEditor 5 Upgrade
The first stage involves upgrading CKEditor on your Drupal 9 site to CKEditor 5, which offers enhanced features and performance. As CKEditor 4 has been deprecated (starting from Drupal 9.5), upgrading to CKEditor 5 is a necessary initial step in the transition to Drupal 10. Given the significance and potential complexity of this task, we treat it as a standalone process, completed before the Drupal 10 upgrade begins.
Stage 2: Drupal 10 Upgrade Discovery and Estimate Approval
The second stage includes a thorough examination of your site to identify potential challenges associated with the Drupal 10 upgrade. For this discovery phase, we use the Upgrade Status module, along with other tools. Once complete, we will prepare the exact upgrade process steps and timeline, along with providing a more accurate estimate of the time and resources necessary for the upgrade. Upon your approval of this estimate, we can move to the final stage.
It is important to note that some of the work done in this stage will set the foundation for Stage 3, effectively reducing the overall time and resources necessary for it.
Stage 3: Drupal 10 Upgrade
With your approval of the estimate from Stage 2, we proceed to the final step: the Drupal 10 upgrade. This phase encompasses the upgrade to the Drupal core and all contributed modules, compatibility fixes for custom modules and themes, and ensuring that your site performs optimally after the upgrade.
Timeline for the Drupal 10 Upgrade
Our primary aim is to complete the Drupal 10 upgrade by 1st November 2023 (Drupal 9 EOL date). The upgrade will be carried out in three key stages, with estimated durations for each stage provided below:
Stage 1: CKEditor 5 Upgrade
Start Date: 1st July 2023
Estimated Duration: 1 month
Completion Date: 31st July 2023
Stage 2: Drupal 10 Upgrade Discovery and Estimate Approval
Start Date: 1st August 2023
Estimated Duration: 1 month
Completion Date: 31st August 2023
Stage 3: Drupal 10 Upgrade
Start Date: 1st September 2023
Estimated Duration: 2 months
Completion Date: 1st November 2023
Please note that these timelines are estimates and the actual timeline may vary depending on the complexity of the upgrade for each individual site. Regular updates will be provided at each stage to keep you informed about the progress.
Special Considerations
If your site is using a distribution, such as GovCMS or others, the timing of your upgrade may need to be in line with the distribution's support for Drupal 10. For instance, GovCMS is set to release their Drupal 10 distribution by the end of June.
Conclusion
The upgrade to Drupal 10 is an essential process to ensure the longevity, high performance, and security of your website. We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible, providing regular updates throughout each stage. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please feel free to respond directly to the relevant support ticket, or contact our customer service team directly.