A Guide for Upgrading a Drupal 7 Website to Drupal 8
As Drupal 8 gains extensive popularity, the growing number of businesses opting for migration to this version does not come as a surprise. Moreover, the entire focus is on improving the core of the Drupal 8, which makes it an apt choice for new as well as existing websites on this platform. The best thing about Drupal 7 to 8 Upgrade is that it is an easy process because the version has some migration modules in its core. One of these is Migrate UI, which facilitates a seamless move to the latest version. So if you are planning to take your website to the next level using Migrate module, here are some tips that can help.
Start With a Pre-Upgrade Checklist
Before starting with the process, you should have a pre-upgrade checklist ready to ensure that you are fully geared up. Drupal 8 has the following migration modules in its core:
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Migrate is the core upgrade API module of the platform.
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Migrate Drupal comprises the entire classes needed for upgrade or migration from Drupal 7 to 8.
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Migrate Upgrade offers a simple UI for enabling migration from Drupal 7 to 8.
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Migrate Plus was another module that was previously a part of the Drupal 8 core. It had the pieces of the prior version that did not make it into the core, with plugins for supporting CSV, XML, and JSON data sources. It also included Migrate Tools for managing migrations.
Be Aware of The Potential Problems
When you Upgrade Drupal 7 to Drupal 8, there are typically two problems that you might come across.
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The major issue is related with missing migration paths, with Views not being migrated automatically yet.
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The second widely prevailing issue is that the contributed modules may not be migrated properly.
Identification of Contributed Modules
Before moving ahead with Drupal 8 Migration, identify the contributed modules being used on your current website. Once you have a list of these modules, check whether they have a version compatible with Drupal 8. If not, you can expect some glitches related to the move. However, Drupal 8 has evolved and has several key modules already supporting it. The available update path can be checked through the Migrate UI modules.
Start With The Upgrade Process
Now that you are all set, you can start the process for Drupal 7 to 8 Upgrade. Typically, it is a multi-step journey explained as follows:
Make a Local Copy of The Site:- The obvious initial step would be to make the site’s local version. This is done to minimize the risks related to making changes on the live website. It ensures that the site remains safe and functional even if things go wrong during the process.
Get The Latest Version:- The next step would be to access the official site of Drupal and download the latest version of the CMS.
Make a Local Drupal 8 Site:- Once done with the download, create a local Drupal 8 site as well for using as the destination site for migration.
Verify The Migrate Upgrade Modules:- Verify the presence of all the three main migrate modules, namely Migrate, Migrate Drupal and Migrate Upgrade, in the Core section by navigating to the Extend tab of the new site.
Enable The Modules:- After verifying the modules, enable them and click the Install button at the bottom.
Navigate To The Upgrade Path:- Once the modules are installed, navigate to the upgrade path. For this, you need to go to yoursite[.]com/upgrade (yoursite stands for the name of your Drupal 8 site). Here, you will reach a screen, where some instructions have to be followed for proceeding.
Enter The Details:- In the next screen, you need to enter such as the existing site’s credentials, database location, and the location of the site’s files.
Start The Migration:- Next, you will reach Migrate UI. Here, you can check the potential issues you may come across as well as verify the available and missing paths. Once you check everything, get started with the migration.
Conclusion
The process, though simple, still needs professional expertise to handle the nitty-gritty as well as resolve the issues that crop up. Therefore, it is recommended to have a developer or team to assist you for managing the process of Upgrade Drupal 7 to 8. Drupal India is a leading Drupal Development Company that caters a complete range of requirements for designing, developing, upgrading, migrating, and more for businesses looking to explore this platform. Share your requirements with us and we can assist you with a seamless upgrade.
