Compatibility issues are the nightmare of an average software developer these days due to the myriads of software platforms and hardware devices that communicate across the web, but Drupal software developers enjoy a higher level of flexibility in terms of freedom to experiment with third-party modules, even when the matter in hand is Drupal for mobile, where, in theory one would expect occurrence of more undesired side effects. Why is that?
Since a very early stage in its development, Drupal, the free and open source content management system (CMS), has adopted a policy to isolate the system’s crucial files from third-party modules provided by external Drupal developers. The former, called Drupal core, provide the essential functionality of Drupal as a CMS and content management framework, while the latter run separately from the core files, extending Drupal’s basic functionality and appearance through software add-ons, extensions, and custom themes.
Such a policy allows for safely experimenting with various modules and functionality that would otherwise result in irrecoverable failures of the system as a whole. In addition, unlike other CMSs used to power modern-day online sites, Drupal features a programming interface rarely seen in rival platforms, while Drupal’s capabilities are often cited as a major factor to consider Drupal also as a web application framework. All those built-in capabilities are a powerful tool in the hands of software developers who are involved in activities related to Drupal for mobile, and who are willing to create and experiment with modules that would not be able to run in the framework of other online content management systems in the market.
On the one hand, Drupal features all the basic functions one would expect to find in a reliable CMS. On the other hand, Drupal can be extended and customized to an extent not seen in any other similar system, especially when the matter in question is the overall reliability of the system that is undergoing such a customization. Therefore, it is safe to say that Drupal is unique in its ability to run on virtually all and every platform, more importantly on mobile devices of any kind, while allowing software developers to create highly customized applications and software modules without harming system’s overall performance, security, and reliability.
Evidently, no software system is 100-percent breakage-free; nevertheless, Drupal developers enjoy greater freedom that their colleagues involved in development of software modules for rival platforms. A software developer can also enjoy greater confidence that his software module would not crash under a future release of Drupal because the very approach of isolating core and external files excludes such a scenario. In fact, such an unparalleled freedom led to a situation where Drupal can boast over 10,000 free add-ons on its official website, which is not a common situation in the world of content management systems.
Actually, Drupal software developers and web designers have unparalleled freedom to develop whatever they feel is suitable for use with Drupal-powered systems, including ones optimized for mobile devices. Thus, all major aspects of running a reliable service are covered by ready available and free contributed modules, known as contrib modules, while dozens of new add-ons and themes, both mobile and desktop, are made available on a daily basis. As a result, Drupal’s official site now features probably the most extensive collection of free software modules and themes, most of which are available for further customization under a sort of general pubic license.
This is a two-edged weapon, however, with such an unprecedented freedom to experiment with software modules that will easily run within the framework of both desktop and mobile environment sometimes resulting in creation of products that are not tested according to best industry practices. Nevertheless, such a process can be observed also in other CMSs and software platforms, while those kind of products can be easily avoided even by inexperienced users if they take their time to read a software review or two. On the other hand, Drupal’s policy that allows for extensive design, development, and integration of third-party modules is of benefit to both Drupal developers and end-customers; the former being allowed to experiment with new programming techniques and designs, while the latter enjoying an ever growing number of Drupal for mobile features that can be integrated into their respective website.
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