Understanding the difference between Core and CMS

Since its inception in 2001, Drupal has evolved into one of the world’s most flexible and powerful content management systems, continuously adapting to the needs of the modern web. Today, Dries Buytaert, the founder of Drupal, has made a groundbreaking decision in Drupal’s evolution: the separation of Drupal Core and Drupal CMS. This move is not just a technical shift but a strategic vision to make Drupal more accessible, versatile, and aligned with the needs of an increasingly diverse community. With Drupal Core as a minimalist, modular foundation and Drupal CMS as a ready-to-use solution, this transformation aims to provide the best experience for developers, agencies, and end users, marking a new chapter in Drupal’s history.

Drupal Core: The foundation of Drupal

Drupal Core is the “engine” of the Drupal system, and if you have worked with Drupal since version 8, you are already familiar with it. It serves as the technical and functional backbone of the entire CMS and represents the modular, flexible approach that has made Drupal famous.

Drupal Core is designed to be minimal and modular. It includes only the essential features needed to launch a website, such as user management, taxonomy system, blocks, content handling, and a powerful routing engine based on Symfony. Since version 8, the project has deeply integrated with modern PHP technologies, adopting the Symfony framework for backend management, Twig for template rendering, and an object-oriented architecture that makes it more robust and scalable.

Unlike other CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress), Drupal is not meant to be “ready to use” out of the box. Instead, it serves as a foundation that requires configuration and development to fit the specific needs of each project. This is where its strength lies: total freedom. You can customise it, extend it with modules, and build almost any type of website or web application — from simple blogs to complex corporate portals.

Starting with version 8, Drupal Core underwent a major transformation, embracing modern standards to meet contemporary web development demands. With versions 9, 10, and the upcoming 11, the modular approach remains intact, but the system has become even more powerful with improvements such as:

• The adoption of modern front-end libraries (e.g., CKEditor 5).
• Enhancements in the configuration manager and multilingual system.
• A continued focus on performance and security.In other words, Drupal Core is the foundation that experienced developers use to create highly customised projects. However, this level of freedom comes at a cost: a steep learning curve and an approach that requires time and expertise.

Drupal CMS: A new way to build websites

Building on features tested in the beta versions of Drupal 10 and 11, Drupal CMS allows users to import content and configurations through “recipe.”. Recipes are essentially folders that include content, settings, and instructions to add new features to an existing Drupal site. Multiple recipes can be activated at the same time, and in the future, it will also be possible to remove them easily.

A familiar yet improved concept

This new system is somewhat reminiscent of past Drupal distributions, but “Drupal CMS” takes it a step further. Users can install a basic version of Drupal with no predefined features and gradually enhance it by adding only what they need. Everything will be manageable directly from the browser, making the experience smoother and more customisable.

Why Drupal CMS is a game-changer

Drupal CMS aims to win back hobbyists and developers who left Drupal after version 8, often migrating to alternatives like WordPress, Wix, or Shopify. The goal is to demonstrate that owning an independent website is preferable to relying on closed, proprietary platforms.

With this initiative, Drupal further embraces the principles of the Open Web Manifesto, striving to create a safer, freer, and more inclusive web. As Dries Buytaert, Founder and Project Lead of Drupal, stated, “Drupal CMS is shaping a future where people have more control over their data and platforms.”

Summary

Drupal Core

• What it represents: The technical foundation of the Drupal system, the “heart” of the CMS. It contains only the essential functionalities needed to build a website.
• Philosophy: Designed to be lightweight, modular, and highly customizable. With Drupal Core, users (developers) build a site from scratch, adding modules, themes, and configurations based on their needs.
• Primary audience: Experienced developers and technical teams who want a high degree of flexibility and control over the sites they develop.

Drupal CMS

• What it represents: Built on Drupal Core, Drupal CMS introduces a simplified experience for users through “recipes.” These recipes allow the import of pre-configured content and functionalities directly into a site.
• Philosophy: Provides a more guided and intuitive setup, eliminating the initial complexity of configuring every detail. Users can start with a minimal site and progressively enhance it by downloading pre-set features through the browser, without needing a heavy technical installation.
• Primary audience: Occasional developers, small businesses, or those who left Drupal for simpler alternatives (such as WordPress or Wix) but want to regain control of an open-source site without managing all the technical complexities.

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