DrupalCon 2024 - A chat with Simon Morvan
As part of the Insights and Innovations series, we had the pleasure of chatting with Simon Morvan, Director of Technology at EvolvingWeb, a prominent Drupal-focused company based in Montreal, Canada. EvolvingWeb is known for its expertise in building content-rich, accessible websites for public sector clients, higher education institutions, and the healthcare industry. Simon shared his insights on EvolvingWeb’s journey, their approach to Drupal development, and the exciting future of Drupal.
The EvolvingWeb Journey: From Drupal 6 to Drupal 11
EvolvingWeb has grown into a dynamic team of 85 professionals, with 30 dedicated developers led by Simon. Their projects emphasize accessibility and a seamless content editor experience, essential for their diverse client base. Simon’s long-standing involvement in the Drupal community, spanning nearly 17 years from Drupal 6 to the upcoming Drupal 11, highlights his deep connection to the platform and its evolution.
Excitement Around Starshot
One of the key highlights from DrupalCon Portland 2024 was the announcement of Starshot during Dries’ keynote. Simon is excited about this initiative, which aims to make Drupal more approachable for smaller websites while maintaining its technical superiority.
“I think it’s interesting because we need to probably get a little bit ahead of the competition. Drupal is already ahead of the competition on a lot of technical aspects that are not necessarily super visible.”
Starshot represents a strategic effort to unify the Drupal community and enhance the CMS’s appeal across various user personas. For Simon, Starshot is an opportunity for Drupal to shine by making it more accessible and user-friendly, ensuring it remains competitive in the ever-evolving web development landscape.
Overcoming CKEditor 5 Migration Challenges
Simon spoke with us about the technical challenges his teams have faced during the migration from CKEditor 4 to CKEditor 5, a significant part of the transition from Drupal 9 to 10. The main challenge was adapting custom-built plugins to the new CKEditor version.
“The main challenge was definitely around custom-built plugins. We had to either port or rebuild these plugins to take advantage of the new version.”
Despite these initial hurdles, CKEditor 5 has improved the content editing experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.
Exploring CKEditor 5 Premium Features
While EvolvingWeb primarily focuses on the core features of CKEditor, Simon is intrigued by the potential of CKEditor Premium features. These features, such as collaborative editing, offer significant enhancements for content editors, although better integration with Drupal is needed to fully leverage its capabilities.
Wrapping Up
Simon’s insights reflect EvolvingWeb’s commitment to excellence in Drupal development. Whether it’s embracing new initiatives like Starshot, navigating technical challenges with CKEditor 5, or continuously improving content editor experiences, EvolvingWeb remains at the forefront of innovation and collaboration in the Drupal community.
To explore more about EvolvingWeb’s work and their contributions to the Drupal community, check out their website and stay tuned for more exciting developments. For more updates from Drupalcon and the latest in Drupal + CKEditor 5 developments, follow us on our socials.
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