a development springboard: using drupal distributions

In this webinar

Introduction to key distributions in Drupal.

Tips on using distributions to springboard development.

Why use distributions?

Who is this for?

Developers who want to start developing with Drupal for the first time.

Decision makers curious about what can be done with Drupal.

Expected you know how to install a basic Drupal 7 site. Try Dev Desktop.

About us

Heather James - Manager, Learning Services

Jakub Suchy - Manager, Solutions Architecture

Why distributions?

Vanilla Drupal

No clear use case… what does it do??

http://www.amazeelabs.com/en/blog/periodic-table-drupal-modules-infographic

http://www.amazeelabs.com/en/blog/periodic-table-drupal-modules-infographic

Alpaca Lace tangled mess by Manda Vixen Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)http://www.flickr.com/photos/29694534@N03/4724530295/

Nothing Quite So Satisfying as a Ball 'o Yarn by iris Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)http://www.flickr.com/photos/irisphotos/8227795776/

What is a distribution?

Select and configure to solve a problem.

+ =

What is a distribution really?

Customized Drupal.

Installation profile included.

Your customizations are overrides in sites/ directory

Example distributions

Try on Acquia Cloud now https://docs.acquia.com/cloud/site/install

Demo Framework

What makes it special?

Demo Framework is built to tell a “Drupal story”.

Easy to add your own scenarios.

Focus on showing Drupal in best light.

Scenarios to tell a story

The “visitor” story

The “site building” story

Panels for customizable page layout

Demo of Demo Framework

The user’s story.

Interact with content.

Make a purchase.

Tracked information in marketing tools.

The builder’s story

Content workflow and maintenance.

Building and customizing new landing pages.

Caveats?

Customization?

Use it to build off of?

Using existing scenarios is easy. Adding your own isn’t trivial.

Basically you would fork the project completely. Use as a basis then remove what you don’t need.

Commons

What makes it special?

Commons is focused on group interaction.

Lower barriers to participation.

Notion of “following” content, and highlighting contributions.

commons.acquia.com

Key features and modules

Views is fully integrated

Panels is used for page layout.

Rules, Flag and Voting API are used across the site for interaction.

Organic Groups controls the group functionality and affects permissions

Personal and group share/follow

Panels for customizable page layout

Caveats

Using Commons is easy out of the box. Built to be used as a complete distribution.

Forking means you have your own development path. You don’t need to fork to customize Commons!

Custom design? Requires you to build your own theme from scratch.

Commerce Kickstart

What makes it special?

Commerce Kickstart shows how the Commerce module works with other ecosystem modules

Commerce moduledrupal.org/project/commerce

Commerce Kickstartdrupal.org/project/commerce_kickstart

drupalcommerce.org

eCommerce and Drupal?

Does Drupal compete with other ecommerce platforms?

When is Drupal a good fit for e-commerce implementations?

What are some alternatives?

Demo content

Helpful guides embedded

Layout and theming?

Making purchases

Adding products

Product variation types

Other notable distributions

Other distributions

“Try it now”

Acquia hosting, free, quick and easy.

acquia.com/downloads

OpenPublicOpenPublishOpenScholarmore!

COD

COD - Conference organizing distribution

Used for DrupalCamp sites and other events

http://usecod.com/

Open Atrium

Social collaborationIntranet, portals

http://openatrium.com/

aGov

Where is the main hub for this distribution?

What problem does it solve?

What is a typical use case?

Any caveats?

http://agov.com.au/freecloud

Reduce waste and lower costs

Local government agencies in Australia.

Specific to their needs

Want to build your own?

Red Onion by Michael Patterson Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelnpatterson/6512135073/in/photostream/

A selection of features

Roll your own?

Why do it?

When to do it?

Why not to do it?

Reduce duplicated effort improve interoperability.

Established experience and clear need.

Requires large initial investment and ongoing development

Decisions to make

Before you even start!

Defined goals?

Use cases?

What is repeatable?

Who is going to do the work?

As you develop?

What are content types required among all situations?

How should functionality be overridden?

What should be delivered?

Example: Life sciences companyDefined goals?

Use cases?

What is repeatable?

What is delivered?

Who is going to do the work?

Everyone on same platform1 site per product

Layout, notion of product content.

Each team gets blank platform

External agencies.

What we can offer

Building platforms with clients

Architecting and planning

Working with partners to manage work

Provide infrastructure

Red Onion by Michael Patterson Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelnpatterson/6512135073/in/photostream/

Keep an eye on the blog!

acquia.com/blog/beginners-guide-distributions-fast-track-drupal-development

acquia.com/blog/demo-framework-distribution-pretty-much-guaranteed-blow-their-minds

acquia.com/blog/drupal-commons-tutorial-customizing-community-website

More to come!

Red Onion by Michael Patterson Attribution 2.0 (CC BY 2.0)http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelnpatterson/6512135073/in/photostream/

Acquia Training Events!

http://training.acquia.com/events