2022 in Review: Top Trends and Topics

Emerging on the heels of a few years that brought epic levels of setbacks, uncertainty, and upheaval, 2022 was marked by a sharp focus on powering forward, connection, and leveraging all that Drupal has to offer. 

During a year in which defining and gaining traction within a new normal was an overarching goal, it’s not surprising that Drupal How-tos drove high levels of interest in 2022.

With the Dec. 14, 2022 release of Drupal 10, and the scheduled Nov. 2023 Drupal 7 end of life, Drupal migration was, and will continue to be, a big topic. A heightened focus on inclusivity and efficiency fueled greater interest in accessibility, along with systems and tools that empowered content editors to easily make updates and switch up layouts as needed.

As has been the case in years past, Promet’s blog readership stats serve as a leading indicator of topics that matter most to the Open Source communities that we serve. Our blog readership broke new records last year, and with a 360 degree perspective on 2022, here's a look back at the posts that grabbed the most attention.

1. How to Set Responsive Images in Drupal 9

This collaborative endeavor between Aaron Armstrong, one of our Drupal Developers, and Luc Bezier, our solutions architect based in France, helped thousands within the open source community with step-by-step instructions and and a solid answer for ensuring responsive images. 

Read: How to Set Responsive Images in Drupal 9
 

2. Pros and Cons of 6 Top Web Accessibility Testing Tools

Automated web accessibility testing tools are widely recognized as an essential component of the web accessibility audit process. Emphasizing that manual testing provides a depth of insight that will never be replaced by automated testing, Promet accessibility expert, Aaron Armstrong reviewed six leading accessibility testing tools and offered essential input on each.

Read: Pros and Cons of 6 Web Accessibility Testing Tools
 

3. Pros and Cons of the Top Page Builders in Drupal

Renowned Drupal trainer and devotee of all things Drupal, Rod Martin has much to say about the need for an easy-to-use page builder. This blog includes a video from Rod in which he covers seven options and points out the advantages and drawback of each. 

Read: Pros and Cons of the Top Page Builders in Drupal
 

4. Provus 2.0: Next Gen Drupal Content Editing

The introduction of Provus in 2020, set a new standard for an open source, drag-and-drop page-building solution for Drupal. What followed: a flurry of innovation as the bar moved several notches higher. The result was Provus 2.0, and last April, Promet’s Director of Technology, Steve Zipfel,  presented the  advantages of this new version.

Read: Provus 2.0: Next Gen Drupal Content Editing  
 

5. Drupal SEO: The Ultimate Guide [2023]

Looking for information on Drupal SEO best practices, how to preform an SEO audit, and how to leverage Drupal for SEO? Promet’s Digital Marketing & SEO Specialist Veniz Guzman, provides answers to this and a lot more. 

Read: Drupal SEO: The Ultimate Guide [2023]
 

6. Open Source vs. Proprietary for Government Websites

When the facts are set forth, there’s no debating that open source is a superior option for government websites. Unfortunately for many, essential misunderstandings and misconceptions get in the way of accurate comparisons.  This post provides some critical clarity.

Read: Open Source vs. Proprietary for Government Websites

7. The Next Frontier: Top 10 Features of Drupal 10

Among the top truths concerning the Drupal CMS: It doesn’t stand still. That point was proven again in 2022 – big time – with the Dec.14 release of Drupal 10.  

Steve Zipfel, Promet’s director of technology clarified the factors concerning the timing of Drupal 10’s release, and elaborated upon the most significant features of this new version. 

Read: The Next Frontier: Top 10 Features of Drupal 10
 

8. Proper Care and Feeding of a Drupal Site

At Promet Source, we tend to lead with awesome design and development, but hundreds of clients would argue that superior Drupal website maintenance and support is what sets us apart and is at the core of a successful site.

In this blog post, Patti Cardiff, Director of Support Services, explains what stellar Drupal support looks like and points out that opportunity to cultivate a value-added support relationship is an essential advantage of an open source CMS. 

Read: Proper Care and Feeding of a Drupal Site

9. How to Fix Common Web Accessibility Barriers in Drupal

Upon discovering that the Fullcalendar View module was laden with accessibility issues, a Promet team got to work on fixing it to ensure accessibility. The process of doing so demonstrated key steps involved in ensuring accessibility for a contributed module. Collaboration within the Drupal community on a new commit also brought into sharp focus the spirit of contribution that powers Drupal.
 
Read: How to Fix Common Web Accessibility Barriers in Drupal
 

10.  How to Ensure Images are Optimized in Drupal

During a year characterized by a sharpened focus on a new normal, it should come as no surprise that our Top 10 Topics list begins and ends with a Drupal How To.  The type of content that gained traction last year provided genuine help and in-the-trenches expertise. A prime example is the the clear explanation and value-added insight that Senior Drupal Developer, Josh Estep offers in this post.   

Read: How to Ensure Images are Optimized in Drupal
 

While we can't predict any number of twists and turns that 2023 might have in store, we at Promet Source are committed to staying connected and sharing thought leadership, top trends, best practices, and in-the-trenches expertise to help you stay informed, engaged, and aware of what's new and next. We're always open to hearing your ideas and digging into the topics that matter most to you.

Let us know what we can do for you, and all of our best wishes for a powerful step forward into 2023.