Drupal 7

session info: Drupal 7

Webchick got started with Drupal at 2005 Google Summer of Code, now is Drupal 7 Maintainer

What happens during the release cycle?

1. release the current version
2. open next version for development ("head") and retire old version (5 will retire when 7 released)
3. code thaw -- fix things that have always annoyed you!  add features!
4. code freeze -- slated for September -- just kill bugs, make it stable
5. return to step 1
6. port all modules :-(

Should I start building production sites on D7?  No!

Should I start porting modules to D7? Yes!

• use Coder module to help you port modules!! Now available for D7!

Drupal is a "do-ocracy" -- what gets done is what people do

Core Maintainers: Dries, Neil Drumm (D5), Gabor Hojtsy (D6), Angela Byron (D7) -- but they just supervise -- others do all the work and get little credit

What's New?

• Changes for site builders
  • new minimum requirements: PHP 5.2, MySQL 5.0, PostgreSQL 8.3
  • installation profiles (minimal / default)
  • SQLite support
  • new password strength indicator
  • time zone handling in core
  • story content type renamed article
  • default taxonomy tags
  • add-a-menu link
  • permission screen easier to read, each has descriptions that can be translated, grouped by content type
  • users can cancel own accounts
  • improved translation interface
  • forums have new pretty icons
  • content types now under site building, some new options available
  • modules page contains links to help pages
  • Ping and Throttle modules removed; user-customizable comment settings removed
  • configurable error reporting with easy to understand options
  • Advanced Help moved into core
  • usability testing by Mark Boulton Design, U of Baltimore
• Changes for designers
  • page.tpl.php redesigned with wrapper classes, better CSS development without hacking PHP files, based on Zen theme
  • new theme: Stark -- like Chameleon, but with even less defined
  • improved javascript functions
  • cross-library compatibility (for jQuery) -- already works in D6
• Changes for coders
  • SimpleTest module greatly improved (also in D6)
    
    • writing tests causes you to think problems through, find obscure bugs
    • know instantly if you've broken something
    • fix a test along with your bug fix, and it will never break again
  • http://testing.drupal.org can test patches for you before you contribute them! notifies you in 24 hours if patch doesn't work
    
  • Database: the Next Generation (DB:TNG)
    
    • uses PHP Database Objects (PDO)
    • dynamic query builder replaces hook_db_rewrite_sql()
  • FieldAPI (CCK in core)
    • swappable storage back-ends
    • CCK today makes each field its own table only if multiple values or multiple content types
    • FieldAPI makes each field its own table always -- means performance hit
  • Performance
    • registry table holds cache of every function, class, etc. from all modules for faster hook calls, better break-up of code in modules
    • new operation-specific hooks to remove need for $op parameter (also works in D6)
    • new _load_multiple hooks to load multiple items at once
    • file API improvements, image handling in core, native file fields, file management console
  • new hooks in D7
    • allow modules to see which other modules, taxonomy, etc. installed
    • improvements to Aggregator API
    • hook_page_alter() -- modules can alter other modules' generated pages!