Drupal Overview

1
Drupal Overview

• Nathan Rambeck
• Rambeck Group
• www.rambeck.com

2
Content Types

• Node is the basis for all content types
• All nodes contain title, body, create date,
  published, etc.
• CCK Module allows the addition of any kind of
  field (text, radio, select, checkbox, image,
  date, etc)
• New modules can be created for content types by
  using the Node API.

3
Modules

• Modules are extensions or add-ons to Drupal that
  add a specific feature or features
• Modules can easily integrate with Drupal core or
  other modules by using the Drupal API
  (http//api.drupal.org/)

4
Blocks

• Blocks allow the placement of secondary content
  in various regions on the page
• Out-of-the-box Drupal allows 5 regions (left
  column, right column, header, footer and content)
• Modules can provide blocks with specific
  functionality
• Custom blocks can be created

5
Users, Roles, Permissions

• Drupal provides a very flexible authentication
  system (far above other CMSs)
• Users can be created by an admin or can
  self-register
• Each user can be placed into 1 or more groups
  called a Role
• Each role can define very specific permissions
  for users

6
Taxonomy

• Taxonomy is a method of categorizing your content
  in a flexible way
• Taxonomy is usually the most confusing aspect of
  Drupal for the uninitiated
• Category groups are defined as Vocabularies
• Categories themselves are defined as Terms

7
URL Aliases

• Makes Drupal sites easily SEO friendly
• URLs typically have variables embedded in them
  that are required by PHP to process the page
  request correctly
• URL alias mask these url variables with any URL
  of your choice
• The PathAuto module allows logical rules to be
  used in automatically creating path alias for
  content

8
Menus and Navigation

• Drupal allows the creation of unlimited menu
  groups, each with its own hierarchy
• Menu items can be tied directly to a content page
  or be unattached
• Menu system is tied to permissions, so menu items
  will only appear for users with permission to
  view that page

9
Theming

• Themes involve HTML templates, CSS files, and a
  template.php file for custom theme code and theme
  function overrides
• HTML templates use PHP snippets for inserting
  variables and control structures
• Zen theme is a great starting theme for creating
  custom designs