Best of Drupal core release: major, minor, and patch releases in the last 6 months
Drupal is a versatile content management system that has been powering websites for over a decade. Over the years, it has evolved into a robust platform with an ever-growing community of developers and users. In this blog post, we will take a look at the best of Drupal's core releases in the last six months.
We will discuss major, minor, and patch releases, and review some of the new features and enhancements that were introduced in each one. So without further ado, let's dive in!
How often does Drupal update?
Long story short - approximately every 6 months!
Drupal releases new versions of its core software on a regular basis. In general, there are three types of releases: major, minor, and patch.
A major release is a new version of Drupal that introduces significant new features or significantly changes existing ones. A minor release adds new features and functionality to an existing Drupal installation. A patch release fixes bugs and security vulnerabilities in an existing Drupal installation.
Major, minor, and patch releases each have their own version number. For example, the most recent major release is Drupal 8.7.0, the most recent minor release is Drupal 8.6.17, and the most recent patch release is Drupal 8.5.24.
Here is the overview of the minor release development schedule:
Courtesy: Drupal.org
What's new in Drupal 8.7?
Drupal 8.7 was released on May 1, 2019. It is a minor release that introduces new features and improvements to existing ones.
Some of the new features in Drupal 8.7 include:
- Improved support for multilingual sites
- New experimental media library
- Enhanced security measures
- Improved performance and scalability
For a full list of new features and changes, please refer to the Drupal 8.7 release notes.
What's new in Drupal 8.6?
Drupal 8.6 was released on December 5, 2018. It is a minor release that includes new features and improvements to existing ones. Some of the noteworthy changes include:
- Support for PHP 7.3
- Improved content moderation workflows
- New experimental layout builder
- Enhanced security measures
For a full list of changes, please refer to the Drupal 8.6 release notes.
What's new in Drupal 8.5?
Drupal 8.5 was released on March 7, 2018. It is a minor release that includes new features and improvements to existing ones. Some of the noteworthy changes include:
- Improved content authoring experience
- New "Workspaces" initiative for managing content changes
- Automatic updates for contributed modules and themes
- Enhanced security measures
For a full list of changes, please refer to the Drupal 8.5 release notes.
What are the Drupal core release cycle: major, minor, and patch releases in the last 6 months that Drupal websites should know?
Key dates
Drupal 8.7.0 - May 1, 2019
Drupal 8.6.17 - December 5, 2018
Drupal 8.5.24 - March 7, 2018
Drupal 8.4.0 - November 28, 2017
Drupal 8.3.7 - April 12, 2017
Types of releases
A major release is a new version of Drupal that introduces significant new features or significantly changes existing ones. A minor release adds new features and functionality to an existing Drupal installation. A patch release fixes bugs and security vulnerabilities in an existing Drupal installation.
Major releases are denoted by the first number in the version string (e.g., 8.0). Minor releases are denoted by the second number in the version string (e.g., 8.7). Patch releases are denoted by the third number in the version string (e.g., 8.5.24).
New features and changes
Drupal 8.7
- Improved support for multilingual sites
- New experimental media library
- Enhanced security measures
- Improved performance and scalability
Drupal 8.6
- Support for PHP 7.3
- Improved content moderation workflows
- New experimental layout builder
- Enhanced security measures
Drupal 8.5
- Improved content authoring experience
- New "Workspaces" initiative for managing content changes
- Automatic updates for contributed modules and themes
- Enhanced security measures
For a full list of new features and changes in each release, please refer to the release notes:
Drupal 8.7 release notes
Drupal 8.6 release notes
Drupal 8.5 release notes
Drupal 8.4 release notes
Drupal 8.3 release notes
Major, minor, and patch releases each have their own version number. For example, the most recent major release is Drupal 8.7.0, the most recent minor release is Drupal 8.6.17, and the most recent patch release is Drupal 8.5.24.
What are the benefits of upgrading to the latest Drupal core version?
Some benefits of upgrading to the latest Drupal core version include:
- New features and improvements
- Improved security
- Improved performance
- Improved stability
- Improved compatibility with contributed modules and themes
- Easier site maintenance
What's manual update procedure?
Drupal 8.7.0 was released on April 2, 2019. The next minor release, Drupal 8.7.1, was scheduled for June 4, 2019. And, the next major release, Drupal 9.0.0, was scheduled for June 3, 2020.
You can read the full announcement here: https://www.drupal.org/node/3092086
As you can see, there are different update cycle for each type of releases. Major releases are supported for at least 3 years after their initial release date, while minor and patch releases are supported for at least 1 year after their respective release dates.
It is always recommended to keep your Drupal installation up-to-date with the latest security fixes and new features.
To update your Drupal installation, you will need to follow these steps:
- Back up your database and code.
- Download the latest version of Drupal.
- Unpack the downloaded archive.
- Copy the contents of the new Drupal installation into your existing site directory, overwriting any existing files.
- Run the update script by visiting /update.php in your browser.
You can find more detailed instructions on how to update Drupal here:
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/update/update-core-manually
What's the Current development cycle?
The current development cycle is focused on the Drupal 10.0.0-beta1 and 9.5.0-beta1 release, scheduled for release on September 12, 2022.
Drupal 10.0.0-rc1 and 9.5.0-rc1 release are planned for the Week of November 14, 2022.
Post the Drupal 10.0.0 and 9.5.0 release, end of security support for 9.3.x is scheduled for December 14, 2022.
It is strongly recommended that you upgrade to Drupal 8.7.x or higher before upgrading to Drupal 9.0.0, as some deprecated code has been removed in Drupal 9.0.0.
You can find more information about the current development cycle here:
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/upgrade/upgrading-from-drupal-80-to-drupal-90
When should I upgrade?
It is always recommended to keep your Drupal installation up-to-date with the latest security fixes and new features.
In general, you should upgrade to the latest minor release (e.g., 8.7.x) as soon as it is available. Patch releases (e.g., 8.7.1) are usually only necessary if you are experiencing a specific issue that has been fixed in that release.
Major releases (e.g., 9.0.0) should only be upgraded to when you are ready to migrate your site to Drupal 9, as some deprecated code has been removed in Drupal 9.0.0.
You can find more information about upgrading Drupal here:
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/update/update-core-manually
Conclusion
In conclusion, you should always keep your Drupal installation up-to-date with the latest security fixes and new features. Major releases are supported for at least 3 years after their initial release date, while minor and patch releases are supported for at least 1 year after their respective release dates. It is strongly recommended that you upgrade to Drupal 8.7.x or higher before upgrading to Drupal 9.0.0, as some deprecated code has been removed in Drupal 9.0.0.
You can find more information about upgrading Drupal here:
https://www.drupal.org/docs/8/update/update-core-manually
Get Help
Drupal Partners has been around for 11+ years now, and we have witnessed and worked on many updates and upgrade cycles. Our team of expert developers can help you plan and execute your Drupal updates and upgrades flawlessly.