1. Guidelines for Drupal 8
The Drupal 8 launch is closer than you might think. Although Drupal 8 is not scheduled to be
released until the fall, there is a lot of important ground to cover before your site can be
upgraded. This is our short list of critical steps to ensure that you are ready for the big day.
Have a Site Audit Performed.
A site audit will help you to locate, correct and update areas of your site that may be in a
state of neglect. An audit report will detail important adjustments and repairs that need to
be performed to ensure that you are able to make the transition to Drupal 8. The audit
process is the most important step in the preparation for the upgrade. It will identify errors
in code, ensure that best practices have been followed, and most importantly give you the
knowledge that you need to have your site in the best possible condition before it’s time to
upgrade.
Employ Version Control.
Drupal is outstanding when it comes to making quick configuration changes on your website
site via point-and- click but this can sometimes cause difficulties as well. It’s time to fire up
version control and valuable Drupal 7 tools like “features” and “configuration
management”. It’s time to start capturing updates via code and moving all of those updates
to your production site. By developing this habit now; your Drupal 8 workflow will already
be established and, if needed, you can always revert back if you encounter issues.

2. Audit Modules for Support.
Almost every Drupal site includes some modules that are not in use. During a site audit
modules are checked for current usage, current updates, and to see if there are newer
modules which may streamline functionality. Although many modules may not yet be
Drupal 8 compatible, your audit team will examine the Drupal 7 version and confirm that all
modules are stable, and being actively maintained.
Apply Security Updates.
In preparation for the new Drupal 8 core, it is also essential that you confirm that your
security updates are current, and functioning as intended. Ideally, security updates are
handled as part of routine site maintenance. If security updates have fallen through the
cracks, now is a good time to get your security up-to-date. Basically this entails upgrading to
the most recent version of Drupal 7 before upgrading to Drupal 8. Regular security updates
will help you to avoid this extra step, along with conferring the latest in security to keep
your Drupal site safe and secure. If your company is lacking the expertise necessary to
implement these updates, or you simply don’t have the time, the Drupal Geeks team has a
group of audit and security specialists that can prepare your site, upgrade your site security,
and get you ready for the Drupal 8 launch.
Ensure That Best Practices Have Been Followed.
Does the custom code in your site adhere to the industry accepted best practices and
standards? Ensure that your site code and API functions have been implemented using best
practices. This will make your transition to the Drupal 8 core problem free, and help to
ensure that your site functions the way that you intend it to. As the release of Drupal 8
draws near our team of experts is prepared to guide you through every step of the process
to prepare your site, ensuring that you have the firm foundation that stable code provides.

3. Make Necessary Adjustments.
This is also the time to examine and if necessary modify your site architecture and
taxonomy. These are the core building blocks of your site, and by making the necessary
changes and updates, your site will be stable and navigable in Drupal 8. The Drupal 8 core
has many new features that allow users to make changes in a more efficient and intuitive
ways. Familiarizing yourself, and your staff, with these functions before you are in the new
environment will save you time, and help you to build good habits for your Drupal 8 work
flow. This is of particular importance for users that are migrating from earlier versions of
Drupal, like Drupal 6, to the new Drupal 8 core.
Engage Expert Help.
In your preparation for your new Drupal 8 upgrade, the last and most important step is to
find a team of seasoned developers that can assess your current site condition, make the
necessary changes, repairs, and upgrades. Drupal Geeks offers these services and many
others to our clients every day. We have extensive experience with upgrades, migrations,
repairs, and can always be counted on to follow only the best practices.
Based in Chicago, Illinois. We provide Drupal Development services for client throughout the
country with offices in five states and three countries. Drupal Geeks been serving the Drupal
community for more than six years. Our Drupal Developers experience in PHP, Drupal
architecture, and performance optimization. Also help you on design, develop, install and
maintenance.
Our Drupal Development specialists use Drupal as a starting point and build upon it using
tools from the Drupal Development community, which produce thousands of plug-ins and
extensions. If the existing tools aren’t what you’re looking for, we will modify or create a
custom solution to meet your needs. Our Drupal development team has created and
implemented custom CMS structures for corporate sites, blog, forums, wikis, online
communities, and internet shops. With our extensive experience on over 80 CMS projects,
our Drupal Developers can help you design, develop, install and maintain.