Drupal is a form of content management software or “CMS” that’s similar to WordPress or Joomla. Although Drupal might not have the popularity of WordPress, it’s still used to make many of the applications and websites that you use daily.

From launch, Drupal has several fantastic standard features, like reliable performance standards and state-of-the-art security. However, there are a few additional features that set this solution apart that many developers and business owners simply still don’t know about.
The fact that Drupal isn’t the most-used CMS in the world also means that it’s sometimes overlooked. However, Drupal is actually an excellent choice for creating integrated digital frameworks, applications and websites. There are plenty of modules to expand the CMS’s functionality, themes to customise content presentation and more. Here are just 8 features of Drupal that you may not know about yet.

1. An Immersive Theme Engine

Most of the time, when people think about CMS solutions and themes, their mind automatically goes to WordPress. However, it’s worth paying some attention to the brand-new theme engine that Drupal 8 has just added to the mix. “Twig” is a PHP-based theme engine that’s faster and quicker than ever, as well as being incredibly secure.

When it comes to building a unique and engaging theme on Drupal, you can now make your website stand out without having to compromise on performance or safety. That’s great news for developers. Additionally, Twig also allows for theme writing in a less complex syntax than the standard PHP template common among most CMS services.

2. Web Services are Built In

Worried about web services on your CMS? The latest update to Drupal also means that developers can use the Drupal 8 system as a data source, and output content in XML and JSON formats. There’s also additional step that you can take to post content back into Drupal from the front-end.

For developers who want to start experimenting with the boundaries of what’s possible on the web, Drupal’s Hypertext Application Language makes managing and exploiting web services easier than ever.

3. Quick Edits Make Updates a Breeze

One of the biggest laments of developers is that they spend too much time editing their creations online. Fortunately, Drupal makes this easier too. With the Drupal CMS, you can change the things that you need to quickly and directly in with the “Quick Edits” option.

All you need to do is log into Drupal, and you can start editing text and other issues directly from there. It takes seconds to make simple changes, rather than hours.

4. HTML 5 as Standard

In today’s fast-paced online world, many developers are beginning to realise that when it comes to writing website markup, it’s best to try and keep up with HTML5. Fortunately, Drupal makes that simple by ensuring that HTML5 is the de-facto standard for your development process.
HTML5 on Drupal gives you the option to access input fields all the way from phone numbers to email addresses and more. This is one of the best features of Drupal and something you should keep in mind when looking for the ideal CMS.

5. Great Loading Speed

There are things that website managers and developers can do on almost any CMS to improve the loading speeds of their websites. However, it helps to start with a CMS that puts performance first. Drupal currently uses a Cache that stores all of the entities you need to manage your website, and only loads JavaScript when it’s needed most. This means that whenever someone views a page, they don’t have to reload it countless times.

Caching is automatic once it’s been enabled, so you can rest assured that your websites and applications will continue running quickly and smoothly.

6. JavaScript Automated Testing

As part of the Drupal 8 update, Drupal introduced JavaScript automated testing – an exciting new feature that allows software developers to test frontend JavaScript solutions automatically. This automated testing option saves a lot of time for developers and makes continuous integration much easier too!

7. Easy Authoring

Another major feature of Drupal that’s often overlooked is the fact that it can bring additional power into the hands of the Content Editor for any website. With the WYSIWYG editor called CKEditor now packaged in with the core of the system, editing and authoring code is easier than ever.

The CKEditor means that content creators and editors can change test on a page without having to switch fully to edit form. Drafts are much easier to manage this way, and web security can be implemented more strongly as a result.

8. Easy File Configuration

Finally, with configuration management built in at the file-system level, carrying over configuration elements like views, fields, content types and more from a local development file into the server is much easier. Drupal seems to be built from the ground up with a focus on making life easier for the forward-thinking developer.