Talking Drupal

Today we are talking about DrupalCon, Wordpress, and what a wordpress guy can learn at a Drupal Event with guest Chris Reynolds. We’ll also cover Shortcode as our module of the week. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/509 Topics The Pros and Cons of Short Codes Chris Reynolds' Journey to DrupalCon Comparing DrupalCon and WordCamp Funding and Organization of WordPress Events The Collaborative Spirit of the Drupal Community Wishlist for WordPress Features Composer Support in WordPress and Drupal Backward Compatibility in WordPress Challenges with Composer in Drupal Config Management in WordPress vs. Drupal Responsive Image Management User Experience in Drupal Community Collaboration Between WordPress and Drupal Resources A Wordpresser Goes To DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 wpcfm Longhorn PHP Conference Oct 23-25 in Austin, TX Call for proposals through July 18 Join #texas-camp in Drupal Slack if you’re interested in organizing a mini Texas Camp to pair with Longhorn PHP WP community collective Guests Chris Reynolds - jazzsequence.com jazzsequence Hosts Nic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi JD Leonard - jdleonard MOTW Correspondent Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu Brief description: Have you ever wanted your Drupal site to support WordPress-style shortcodes, macros to be used within content? There’s a module for that. Module name/project name: Shortcode Brief history How old: created in Sep 2010 by Dénes Szabó (denes.szabo) of Tag1 Versions available: 2.0.3, which supports ^9.3 ^10 ^11 Maintainership Security coverage Test coverage Number of open issues: 30 open issues, 3 of which are bugs against the current branch Usage stats: 13,260 sites (almost 70% are D7 however) Module features and usage For anyone not familiar with WordPress short codes, the documentation describes them as macros, and most often they are used for inserting elements into content such as image galleries, videos, playlists, and more. Shortcodes can also wrap content, however, and it’s possible to nest shortcodes as well. Drupal typically solves the problems addressed by shortcodes using custom HTML elements, as implemented in the media ecosystem, or with the Entity Embed module. I think that shortcodes may also be useful in places where Drupal might also rely on tokens, albeit with an additional module like Token Filter. Gutenberg includes a Shortcode block that can be used as a flexible way to add a variety of elements into a post’s content. I think Shortcodes are an interesting paradigm because they’re really a tool for power users. Instead of providing a UI to browse and choose elements for something like an image gallery, they allow a savvy editor to quickly write a tag that will construct a gallery using numerical ID values. I don’t think this is a tool that most Drupal sites will need, but it could be a really good way for experienced WordPress teams to feel more at home when starting to work with Drupal.

Join Mike Miles and Aubrey Sambor as they discuss their experiences with public speaking at tech conferences, including the challenges and joys of presenting technical and big-picture talks. Dive into their personal summer plans, ranging from trips to Cape Cod and Asheville to beer festivals and camping adventures. The conversation also explores recent technology updates, such as Figma's site builder and Apple's new 'Liquid Glass' design, emphasizing the importance of accessibility. Tune in for a casual, insightful chat about professional growth, summer fun, and the ever-evolving tech landscape. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/cafe005 Topics Michael Miles Mike is passionate about development and working with the latest open source technologies. He has been working in web engineering since 2003, utilizing a number of different technologies, languages and frameworks. He has been working with Drupal since 2008 and is a regular contributor to the community and project. From 2015 to 2024 he was the lead organizer of the Boston Drupal Meetup Group. Since 2017 has been one of the organizers of New England Drupal Camp. In his day-to-day role as Director of Web Development at MIT Sloan, Mike leads the development, maintenance and growth of the digital properties for the school, as well as, the development team that supports them. He is a public speaker and regularly presents at technical conferences around the world. Since 2013 Mike has presented dozens of talks at many different conferences/camps across the globe. Aubrey Sambor Aubrey is a lead front end developer and accessibility advocate with over 19 years of experience in software development and leadership. She specializes in writing modern CSS, semantic HTML, and performant JavaScript and brings almost two decades of experience in web development across higher education, non-profits, and public sector projects. Aubrey is an active member of the Drupal community, contributing to open source initiatives and speaking at regional and national conferences. She champions accessibility best practices and writes about front end development, music reviews, and knitting projects on her blog, aubreysambor.com. When she's not coding, Aubrey enjoys running, spinning her own yarn, fountain pens, and exploring local coffee shops and breweries. Casual Conversation and Weather Fitness Routines and Treadmills Podcast Preferences Remote Work and Buffer Time Job Search and Conference Experience Travel Stories and Conference Talks Halloween and Conference Talks Evolving as a Speaker Technical vs. Idea-Driven Talks Managing Bugs and Building Trust Balancing Multiple Talks Figma Sites and Accessibility Concerns Apple's Liquid Glass Design Nostalgia for Old Tech Summer Plans and Conferences Guests Mike Miles - mike-miles.com mikemiles86 Aubrey Sambor - aubreysambor.com starshaped

In this episode of Talking Drupal, we dive into the world of Drupal user groups and meetups with guests Lee Walker, Bernardo Martinez, and Bo Shipley. Our guests share their experiences in organizing and participating in Drupal communities and the vital role these meetups play in fostering continuous learning and professional development. We also explore the newest features of Drupal Core 11.2 in the Module of the Week. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/508 Topics Meet the Guests: Lee, Bo, and Bernardo Module of the Week: Drupal Core 11.2 Diving into Drupal User Groups and Meetups Personal Journeys into Drupal User Groups The Role of Meetup.com in Drupal Communities Organizing and Attending Meetups vs. Conferences Challenges and Strategies for Growing Meetups Virtual and Hybrid Meetups: Impact on Attendance Success Tips for Organizing Meetups Keeping Meetups Simple and Engaging Preventing Organizer Burnout Challenges and Changes in Meetup Cadence Finding and Retaining Meetup Members Communication Tools for Meetup Groups The Importance of In-Person Meetups Advice for Starting or Restarting Meetups Conclusion and Contact Information Resources Drupal.org Events The Drop Times Events Meetup.com Drupal Chattanooga Drupal Users Group Chattanooga Drupal Camp Guests Lee Walker - www.codejourneymen.com mr_scumbag Bo Shipley - simplyshipley Bernardo Martinez - linkedin bernardm28 Hosts Stephen Cross - stephencross John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi JD Leonard - modernbizconsulting.com jdleonard Module of the Week with Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu Drupal Core 11.2 Single Directory Components (SDCs) have been a focus of excitement for Drupal’s front end developers since they were added to Drupal 10.1 as an experimental module, and merged into 10.3 as a stable feature. With Drupal 11.2, SDCs now have a concept of variants, to allow for different ways of presenting a component’s information. Some component frameworks like Storybook have a somewhat different concept of variants, which is really a set of property value presets that are useful for testing. Variants with Drupal SDCs strike me as being analogous to view modes for content types, in that you can have separate template files for each variant, or you can have conditional logic within a single template based on the variant in use. Our own nicxvan, chx, and some others put some significant work into allowing preprocess hooks to be defined as OOP classes, which bring us a significant step closer to not needing .module files anymore. Hooks (and .module files) are Drupalisms, so removing the need for them is a big improvement for Developer Experience, and makes it easier for developers to get started with Drupal In Drupal 11.2 the module installer has been updated to only rebuild the container after several modules have been installed, which significantly speeds up installing multiple modules at once. Drupal 11.2 also brings us a Recipe Unpack composer extension, so when you composer require a recipe, the dependencies get automatically added to your site’s composer.json file, so you can apply and then remove the recipe and still have a fully functional site Package Manager is now a hidden module in Drupal core, which is critical for initiative like Automatic Updates and Project Browser, that the community has been working on for years Drupal core now also supports the next-generation AVIF format, with WEBP as a fallback with servers that don’t support generating them Of course there are also a variety of dependency updates as well, for CKEDitor, Symfony, composer and more, as well as too many minor improvements and bugfixes to cover in detail here

Tim Doyle, CEO of the Drupal Association with 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, dives into the International Drupal Federation Initiative. He discusses the initiative's aim to restructure governance for better global engagement and support for local Drupal associations. The conversation also covers the Modeler API, a tool enhancing communication between developers and business users. Challenges of fostering a united global community and strategies for improving collaboration are explored, highlighting the importance of active involvement from the community.

In this episode, Ivan Stegic and Randy Oest discuss the impact of AI on junior developers and other roles, debating whether AI will be a disruptive force in the job market. They delve into the complexities of using LinkedIn for job hunting and effective networking strategies. The conversation shifts to new features in Figma, the potential of AI-driven coding tools like Cursor, and the importance of investing in junior developers. They also explore higher education design systems, innovative business strategies, and reflect on the balance between tactical and digital controls in modern cars. The episode wraps up with a light-hearted chat about slang, parental roles, and mentorship. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/cafe004 Topics Ivan Stegic Ivan is a prominent leader in the Drupal community and the founder of TEN7, a Minneapolis-based technology studio specializing in Drupal development, strategy, and digital transformation. With a background in physics and a passion for problem-solving, Ivan transitioned from science to tech, ultimately finding a perfect fit in the open-source world of Drupal. Since founding TEN7 in 2007, Ivan has championed Drupal as a powerful, scalable platform for mission-driven organizations, nonprofits, and enterprises. Under his leadership, TEN7 has delivered impactful Drupal solutions for clients across education, healthcare, and government sectors. Ivan is also known for fostering a people-first company culture grounded in trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. Beyond his work at TEN7, Ivan is an active contributor to the Drupal project, frequently speaking at DrupalCons and camps, hosting the ONE OF 8 BILLION podcast (formerly the TEN7 Podcast), and mentoring others in the community. His advocacy for open source and ethical tech underscores his commitment to using Drupal to make the internet—and the world—a better place. Randy Oest Randy is a design strategist, creative director, and accessibility advocate helping mission-driven organizations craft inclusive, user-centered digital experiences. With a background that spans visual design, front-end development, and content strategy, Randy specializes in building scalable design systems and digital platforms—particularly within the Drupal ecosystem. As the former Creative Director at Four Kitchens, Randy led cross-functional teams in developing cohesive design strategies, architecting front-end systems, and aligning user experience with organizational goals. He’s known for bridging the gap between high-level vision and implementation, ensuring that every project is both beautiful and deeply usable. Beyond his client work, Randy is a frequent speaker at DrupalCon, regional camps, and virtual events, where he shares insights on accessibility, usability, and design systems. A passionate advocate for open-source collaboration and digital equity, he is committed to making the web a more inclusive and empowering space for everyone. Debunking AI Myths: Junior Developers Are Here to Stay Casual Catch-Up: Podcast Conversations and AI Avatars LinkedIn: A Wasteland or a Goldmine? Creative Networking: From Fortune Tellers to Meaningful Connections Figma Innovations: Draw and Sites The Future of Coding: AI Tools and Junior Developers Flying Cars and Spam Texts Dealing with Spam Texts Exploring Higher Education Design Systems The Onion's Creative Agency The Importance of Tactile Controls in Cars Wrapping Up and Future Plans Guests Ivan Stegic - TEN7 ivanstegic Randy Oest - amazingrando.com amazingrando

André Angelantoni, the founder of Performant Labs, shares his extensive experience with Drupal and the Automated Testing Kit. He dives into the importance of automated testing, comparing frameworks like Cypress and Playwright, and explains how the kit can be set up on existing sites. André provides insights into creating effective testing recipes and the road to debugging. He also touches on the Taxonomy Views Integrator module, showcasing its role in customizing content display for Drupal sites. Tune in to learn about enhancing site quality and development efficiency!

Andy Marquis, a seasoned Drupal developer with 16 years of experience, joins to discuss the Custom Field Module. He dives into its user-friendly features that allow custom field creation without coding. The conversation touches on real-world applications, integration with other Drupal components, and the module's flexibility for various projects. They also explore the Facet Bot Blocker, addressing bot traffic challenges. Insights into future enhancements and the impact of AI on web crawling add depth to this engaging discussion.

In this episode, Mike Anello and Mike Herchel dive into a casual conversation covering a wide array of topics. They start by discussing the concept of a podcast with almost no effort required and the mystery of Stephen's involvement. The conversation then quickly shifts to Florida Drupal Camp, mentioning its impressive 16 uninterrupted years, the increase in attendees, and how fun it is. They touch upon single directory components in Drupal, their importance, and intricacies like CSS styling, schemas, and Experience Builder. The discussion also includes insights into popular Drupal events like Florida Drupal Camp, Drupal Dev Days, and the upcoming DrupalCon. They infuse humor and personal anecdotes while engaging in thoughtful technical exchanges and playful banter. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/cafe003 Topics Michael Anello Mike, widely recognized by his Drupal.org username "ultimike," is a prominent figure in the Drupal community with over 15 years of experience as a developer, educator, and community leader. As the co-founder and vice president of DrupalEasy, a Florida-based training and consulting firm, he has been instrumental inshaping the careers of countless Drupal professionals through comprehensive programs like Drupal Career Online and Professional Module Development . Anello's contributions extend beyond education. He has been deeply involved in the Drupal ecosystem, serving as a core contributor to the Migrate module, co-maintaining several contributed modules, and actively participating in issue queues and documentation efforts . His leadership roles include membership in the Drupal Community Working Group and the Conflict Resolution Team, as well as organizing the Florida Drupal Users' Group and Florida DrupalCamp for over a decade. As the host of the long-running DrupalEasy Podcast, Anello provides insights into Drupal development, community news, and interviews with key contributors, fostering a sense of connection and ongoing learning within the community (DrupalEasy). His dedication to mentoring and community building has made him a respected and influential voice in the Drupal world. Mike Herchel Mike is a seasoned front-end developer and a prominent contributor to the Drupal community, with over 15 years of experience in web development. He is best known as the lead developer of Olivero, Drupal's default front-end theme, which emphasizes accessibility, modern design, and user experience. (ImageX) In addition to his work on Olivero, Mike serves as a core CSS maintainer for Drupal and is the creator of the Quicklink module, which enhances site performance by preloading links in the user's viewport. He also has amazing calves. They're the size of small children. Rumor has it that his vertical jump is over 4.5 inches! He has also contributed to the introduction of Single Directory Components (SDC) into Drupal core, aiming to streamline component-based theming.  Beyond his technical contributions, Mike is an active community leader. He has served on the Drupal Association Board of Directors and is a primary organizer of Florida DrupalCamp. (Drupal) As a speaker, he has presented at various events, including EvolveDrupal, discussing topics like the future of Drupal theming and the Starshot initiative, which seeks to make Drupal more accessible to site builders.  Professionally, Mike works as a Senior Front-End Developer at Agileana, where he continues to advocate for accessibility, performance, and the open web.  He shares his insights and experiences through his personal blog at herchel.com, contributing to the ongoing evolution of Drupal and its community. Discussion Topics: The Best Podcast Idea Ever Florida Drupal Camp: A Legacy of Success Single Directory Components: Getting Started TD Cafe: The Podcast Name Debate Deep Dive into Single Directory Components Experience Builder and Component Integration Custom Themes and Single Directory Components Design Tool Integration CSS Variables and Component Architecture Template File vs Render Array CSS Preferences: Plain CSS vs Post CSS Top Drupal Events Concluding Remarks and Personal Plans Guests Mike Anello - DupalEasy ultimike Mike Herchel - herchel.com mherchel

Join Tiffany Farriss, CEO of Palantir.net and a longtime Drupal Association board member, as she discusses the roadmap for the Drupal Marketplace. Tiffany delves into the challenges and goals of creating a trusted space for developers to showcase site templates, highlighting the importance of community trust and sustainability. She shares insights on the Views CSV Source module and the need for effective community engagement. The conversation also touches on balancing monetization while ensuring quality and transparency in the open-source ecosystem.

In this episode, John Picozzi and Jason Pamental explore the connections fostered by using Drupal across different geographies, the evolution of conferences, and how design systems are being utilized at Chewy. We also delve into the application of AI in e-commerce and coding, and discuss the practicalities of maintaining governance in large organizations. Join us for an engaging discussion filled with personal anecdotes, professional insights, and future prospects. For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/503 Topics John Picozzi John Picozzi is the Solutions Architect at EPAM Systems, where he helps organizations implement scalable and sustainable digital solutions—most often using Drupal. With over a decade of experience in web development, John has become a trusted voice in the Drupal community for his commitment to open source, user-centered design, and thoughtful architecture. John is a contributor to Drupal and an active member of the community as the organizer of the Drupal Providence Meetup and New England Drupal Camp. He’s also well known as a co-host of the Talking Drupal podcast, a weekly show focused on all things Drupal, where he interviews community members and shares insights on development, strategy, and community engagement. Outside of podcasting and coding, John frequently speaks at DrupalCamps and conferences across the U.S., offering sessions that span technical deep dives to community and career development topics. You can find more about his work and speaking engagements at picozzi.com, or follow him on Drupal.org Jason Pamental Jason Pamental is a designer, strategist, and technologist specializing in typography, variable fonts, and digital design systems. He is currently Principal Designer at Chewy, where he leads their design system efforts and helps guide their mobile app architecture and strategy. With over 30 years of experience, Jason has worked with organizations such as Adobe, ESPN, Fidelity, and the State of Rhode Island to shape impactful digital experiences. He’s a globally recognized expert in web typography and the author of Responsive Typography. His work has helped define how variable fonts are used on the web today. Jason is a frequent speaker at conferences like Beyond Tellerrand, An Event Apart, and SmashingConf, and he shares his knowledge through writing, teaching, and open source contributions. His articles, presentations, and resources can be found at rwt.io — short for Responsive Web Typography — and many of his talks, videos, and associated resources are available on https://noti.st/jpamental An active supporter of the open web and the Drupal community, Jason is committed to bridging the gap between design and development. Outside of work, he enjoys riding bikes, making espresso, spending time with his family in Rhode Island, and following Leo and Henry around Turner Reservoir, posting photos on Instagram. Hosts John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Jason Pamental - rwt.io.