OpenEuropa Library Talk #5: Unveiling Drupal Starshot: Exploring New Possibilities in Site Building

Cristina Chumillas, a leading contributor to Drupal, presented the Starshot Initiative, designed to provide a balance between Drupal core and fully customised solutions. The initiative targets ambitious site builders, aiming to streamline the site-building process while preserving Drupal's comprehensive functionality. 

Key Components of Starshot: 

The Starshot Initiative introduces several key components designed to simplify and enhance the Drupal site-building experience, making it more accessible and efficient for site builders:

1. Automatic Updates:

Aimed at streamlining the update process for Drupal sites, this feature focuses on automating security and stability updates. It ensures that essential patches and upgrades are applied consistently and reliably without requiring manual intervention. By simplifying the update management process, Automatic Updates not only enhances site security but also reduces the workload for site builders, ensuring that sites remain up-to-date with minimal effort. 

2. Project Browser:

The Project Browser is a user-friendly interface that allows site builders to easily discover and install Drupal projects, such as modules, themes, and distributions, directly from the Drupal admin panel. This component simplifies the search for site-building tools by providing a centralised platform for project selection and installation, making it easier for users to extend Drupal's core functionality without needing to leave the admin environment. 

3. Recipes:

Recipes enable the installation of pre-configured sets of modules, themes, and setting to quickly implement common features like blogs, events or, e-commerce. This saves time and reduces complexity by providing pre-built solutions, allowing site builders to deploy functional sites more efficiently. 

4. Experience Builder (Future):

Set for release in 2025, the Experience Builder will provide a drag-and-drop interface for building and theming Drupal sites directly in the browser. This tool is designed to offer a more intuitive, visual approach to site building, allowing users to create and customise their sites without needing in-depth technical knowledge. 

The goal of the Drupal Starshot Initative is to make Drupal more accessible to site builders without advanced technical skills, by creating a balance between Drupal Core and fully customisde sites.

Community Participation:

Cristina Chumillas emphasised the vital role of community management in ensuring the success of the Drupal Starshot Initative, highlighting the need for a broad spectrum of contributions beyond development. She outlined several strategies to foster active participation from the Drupal Community. 

1. Encouraging Diverse Skills: 

The success of Starshot relies on variety of skills, not limited to development. She called for expertise in UX/UI design, project management, content creation, and other non-technical roles. These diverse contributions are crucial in shaping a well-rounded project that meets the needs of various stakeholders.

2. Open Call for Involvement: 

The Starshot Initiative is open to all members of the Drupal community, with a specific call to action for individuals and organisations to assess how they contribute. Cristina encouraged everyone to identify areas where their skills align with the needs of the initiative, promoting a more inclusive approach to community involvement. 

3. Working Groups and Leadership:

To ensure structured participation, the Starshot Initiative has established working groups and a leadership team, which includes a monthly council tasked with providing feedback and guiding the project's direction. This organised structure enables sustained contributions and ensures that the project evolves in line with the community's input. 

4. Direct Engagement and Contributions: 

Individuals interested in contributing are encouraged to actively participate by either contacting the project leads directly or submitting their interest through a form on the Drupal Starshot page. This clear pathway for engagement ensures that all interested parties have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the initiative. 

Starshot's success depends on contributions from every corner of the community.

Accessibility Standards:

In line with the European Commission's commitment to inclusivity, Cristina confirmed that Starshot will adhere to the same WCAG accessibility standards as Drupal core, ensuring that all components and themes developed under the initiative are fully accessible. 

Customisation and Migration:

Addressing questions on custom themes and migration, Cristina clarified that while starshot provides a foundation for Drupal site builders, it will not impose restrictions on custom theming or create challenges for migration. The initative is designed to complement existing Drupal functionalities while offering flexibilty for tailored solutions. 

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