This project involved migrating a client’s Drupal 7 website to Drupal 10 using a "lift and shift" approach. The primary focus was preserving existing functionality, maintaining SEO rankings, and ensuring a seamless user experience. Major challenges included shortcode reliance, lack of documentation, and module incompatibility. The migration was successfully delivered with minimal visual impact and optimized site performance.
- Lack of Documentation: The Drupal 7 site had no technical documentation, requiring extensive manual analysis.
- Shortcode Dependency: The site relied heavily on shortcodes, which are not natively supported in Drupal 10.
- Module Incompatibility: Several Drupal 7 modules were outdated or had no direct Drupal 10 equivalents.
- SEO Preservation: Maintaining the original site's HTML structure and SEO configuration was a top priority.
- Handling Unsanitized Data: Migrating raw inputs without compromising data integrity or security.
A comprehensive site audit was conducted to map all existing content types, modules, and templates. Shortcode functionality was reimagined using custom approaches to deliver a similar experience in Drupal 10. Incompatible modules were replaced with modern alternatives or rebuilt as custom modules.
The legacy theme was carefully migrated, with template files converted to Twig and the HTML structure retained to preserve visual appearance and SEO metadata. Custom migration scripts were developed to handle complex content structures and ensure the safe handling of unsanitized data. Constant client collaboration helped prioritize essential features and adapt quickly to arising challenges.
The migration was completed on time and met all project objectives. The Drupal 10 site retained the original design, functionality, and SEO rankings while benefiting from improved performance and a modern backend. The project demonstrated the strength of a well-executed lift-and-shift strategy, highlighting the importance of technical diligence, flexibility, and close client partnership in complex migrations.
