Migrating DRUPAL 7 to 10
FatFish team has amassed a wealth of experience in the complete and precise conversion of sites from older versions of Drupal to the latest versions. Due to the significant gap between Drupal 7 and subsequent versions (8 and above), upgrading and migrating sites requires redeveloping templates and data structures, followed by converting content to the new format.
This creates numerous challenges in information preservation, maintaining search engine optimisation (SEO) and Google rankings, and the precise conversion of all content and media. However, it also presents an opportunity to functionally upgrade and refresh the site's appearance, ensuring that the look and content remain current and relevant for the coming years.
Below are a few successful conversion processes we have carried out or are currently in the final stages of completion and testing before going live.
The Israeli Space Agency
We designed and developed the Israeli Space Agency's website in 2016. It is hosted on available government servers, and the need for an upgrade arose, among other things, from cybersecurity considerations and the end of support for older versions. The site includes over 5,000 content items (nodes, web pages) and rich media.
The conversion process included:
- Mapping the site content and user research.
- Specification and design of all site components.
- Designing site templates (over 20).
- Developing new logic and user journeys.
- Comprehensive usability, accessibility, and security testing before going live.
- Conversion of content and SEO usage to adhere to articles, news, taxonomies, concepts, online games, and rich media.
The site serves both as the official face of the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology and as a tool for researchers, teachers, and guides in the field. Additionally, the site serves as a significant information center on space for children and youth. It centralizes all the activities of the Israeli Space Week across the country and provides hundreds of thousands of users with information on space events taking place in Israel and around the world. The site's conversion was carried out without the need to take the site down and with zero impact on the site's shared use.
The Tel Hai University
During the work process, we redesigned and built all the website's templates (over 40 templates), following research and interviews with representatives from over 20 faculties, departments, and units within the University. The new site consolidated 11 old sites, including separate websites for various faculties, the library, and exhibition sites. To support many stakeholders, we established a permission system allowing each department to manage its content independently.
For the migration, we conducted scanning and mapping of all subsidiary sites and created content tables in a standard structure. We divided the thousands of pages among stakeholders according to which content should be transferred to the new website as is, which content needs to be rewritten and edited, and much content was decided to be left behind with the understanding that a news item from a decade ago is probably not relevant.
On the new site, we developed tools for building complex landing pages for advertising and registration for open days, graduation exhibitions, and unique campaigns. In the past, each landing page was set up independently by the advertising department; now, all branches can use a single system, encouraging the reuse of components and maintaining uniform conventions and design language according to the organisational branding book.
Fermentek
We've been tasked with upgrading and redesigning a website for an Israeli biochemical manufacturer. The site boasts a sophisticated product catalog, a quotation system, and extensive SEO and marketing tools to stay competitive in the global market.
The migration to Drupal 10 involved updating all site templates and components while retaining the previous SEO advancements. Thanks to Drupal 10's capabilities, the site manager now has access to advanced tools and new content flexibility.
The site features a catalog with hundreds of complex biochemical products, each with over 50 distinct fields and attributes, media files, 3D simulations, and additional data. This semantic structure enables precise comparison and search for chemical substances. The migration included mapping all features, data export and tuning, establishing dedicated information entities, and importing all content from the old site. We've redeveloped the search tools for user-friendly and efficient access to the entire catalog.
The previous site also incorporated a CRM and a pricing management system, which have been optimally migrated to the new site to ensure continuous operation without data loss during the site's reinstallation.
Conclusion
Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 is crucial in modernizing your digital presence. With enhanced performance, security, and user experience, Drupal 10 offers a powerful platform for future growth. The migration process not only ensures compatibility with the latest technologies but also provides an opportunity to streamline your site architecture, improve content management, and integrate new features.
By upgrading to Drupal 10, you secure long-term support and access to advanced capabilities like modernized themes, better accessibility, and improved backend tools. Although the migration requires careful planning and execution, the investment delivers a highly flexible, scalable, and robust website that is well-positioned to meet your audience's and business goals' evolving demands.
