The power of Drupal CMS is unbeatable in terms of its thousands of pre-built modules that offer an upscale level of features. With the availability of several modules, Drupal developers can easily develop the site meeting enterprise-level requirements?
But what if, you need highly customized functionalities added in the Drupal CMS? In such a scenario, nothing comes better than the Drupal custom module for enterprises having a unique set of requirements and needing core compelling functionalities.
You need to have custom-built modules, especially at times of moving from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 migration and need modules from the scratch. At this point, nothing works better than creating a customized set of functionalities in the module while meeting your defined set of purposes.
Now, the question is how can you create a Drupal custom module and what all things are necessary to know about the same.
Here, we provide you with answers to all such questions in the information below.
What is a Drupal Custom Module?
In the Drupal content management system, a custom module can be designed according to a preferred choice of design and functional elements. There can be any sort of minor to a major development of the module to meet the diverse requirements of enterprises.
If you are migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8, then you will be needing a custom module built from scratch due to not accessibility in the Drupal 7 platform.
Also, know the key benefits of creating a custom Drupal module to add a preferred choice of functionalities to the platform.
* Faster time for development.
* Developers can match the requirements of enterprises swiftly.
* You will get a comprehensive taxonomy along with an RSS feed.
* Create unique and user-friendly URLs.
* Write high-quality code.
* Simple to integrate third-party tools.
Top 10 Things to Know about Drupal Custom Module
To use the Drupal custom module, you need to keep a few crucial things in mind to get the best output. It is because of the fact that custom module development works differently for distinctive versions of Drupal.
Make Sure to Use Configuration Before Code
There is nothing time consuming during Drupal module development than rewriting the code again and again. To avoid this section, it is advisable to set the values in the configuration and use the same with code. Once you do this, then it provides you with the advanced functionality to make whatever changes in the code with no need to rewrite the same. Moreover, it enhances the speed of code and results in creating high-quality modules.
Keep a Limit on the Usage of Module
It is best advised to use fewer modules while working on an enterprise-level Drupal website. Drupal developers must avoid using those modules that lack features and custom elements.
In reality, Drupal developers are much inclined towards programming their modules rather than reusing the existing ones. It is imperative to note the fact that custom modules demand more work and updates in the near future. Thus, it is best recommended to publish your modules on GitHub that allows you to create reusable codes with the available configuration.
Follow Streamlined Coding Standard
A majority of Drupal development companies work in a streamlined environment to maintain an efficient workflow. In such an environment, it is essential to produce clean and reliable code. Thus, for this, you need to follow set coding standards and guidelines to create working code and meet the project’s requirements to achieve the substantial goal.
Use hook_schema and hook_update_N
The custom Drupal modules need their database tables and data stored in the database. It is because Drupal has no such entities or nodes. Therefore, you have to declare the table schema to install or uninstall a module.
The functionality can be achieved by using this, hook_update_N and it will bump the version number. On the other side, developers can also make the best use of pulling the code by running Drush updb.
Work Effectively with Cron
A Cron is a task schedular for Drupal developers to execute tasks automatically. Simply configure the schedule to avoid manual involvement of tasks at the initial stage. In Drupal, developers have the flexibility to get access to several cron-functionalities to queue up the task for every single module. But it is essential to first check the site’s status report to see if you can use Cron configuration or not.
Us the Drupal Offerings
Drupal offers an extensive range of in-built features and functionalities that help to store and display the module’s data effectively. For example, you can define the module settings page by using hook-menu. It will enable modules to register paths to help determine how URL requests are handled.
Create a New Module
Drupal developers prefer to reuse the existing modules before actually jumping to a new one right from the scratch. They do it because creating a custom module from the initial stage results in a heavy load of information. Only create the custom module when you find the utmost necessity.
Debug your Module to Prevent Bottlenecks
It is always advisable to follow the practice of debugging your custom modules to ensure no PHP code bottlenecks are there. For this, you can get access to the Xdebug tool without going anywhere else.
Final Thoughts
Custom Drupal modules are only required when the existing set of modules do not have the functionality that you have been looking for. Keep several imperative considerations in mind while using custom modules. Most importantly, get in touch with a reliable Drupal development agency like DrupalIndia to create custom modules for the website and meet business perspectives.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Drupal Module?
Modules are the extensive collection of functionalities that you can implement in your Drupal platform. There is a wide range of modules available that you can be reused accordingly to add the necessary functionality to the website.
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How to Create a Custom Module in Drupal 8?
For creating a custom-based module in your Drupal 8 platform, you will be needing the expert assistance of a Drupal developer. Due to the sheer technicalities involved in the process, your expert partner will help you at all stages.
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Is It Possible to Disable Modules in Drupal 8?
At present, there is no such functionality of disabling or uninstalling modules in Drupal 8. However, checkboxes are there for you to select the modules that need to be disabled and they will be completed removed in the full release of Drupal 8.
