Drupal 11.2 and 11.3: What's New, Why Upgrade, and How to Prepare

The timing matters more than ever. Drupal 7 reached end-of-life in January 2025, and Drupal 10 support ends in 2026. This means staying current isn't just about accessing new features, it's about maintaining security, compliance, and long-term viability for your web presence.

Understanding the Drupal 11 Evolution

Drupal 11 represents a significant step forward in the platform's evolution. The release focuses on three core areas: performance optimization, development experience improvements, and alignment with web standards. This isn't just another incremental update, it's a foundation for the next generation of Drupal development.

The development team has prioritized backward compatibility while introducing forward-thinking features. This approach means you can upgrade with confidence, knowing your existing functionality will continue working while gaining access to powerful new capabilities.

Key Features in Drupal 11.2

Super-Fast Installation Process

One of the most immediately noticeable improvements in Drupal 11.2 is the installation speed. Core and contributed module installations now run 3-4 times faster than previous versions. Installing 60 modules that previously took nearly a minute now completes in under six seconds using Drush.

This performance boost extends beyond initial setup. Site builders working with multiple environments will find deployment and testing cycles significantly faster. The improvement comes from optimized dependency resolution and streamlined installation processes.

Object-Oriented Programming Hooks

Drupal 11.2 introduces a fundamental shift in how developers implement hooks. The traditional `.module` file approach gives way to class-based hooks using the `Hook` namespace. This change brings several advantages:

use Drupal\hook\Hook;

#[Hook('entity_presave')]
class MyEntityPresaveHook {
  public function __invoke(EntityInterface $entity) {
    // Custom logic here
    if ($entity->getEntityTypeId() === 'node') {
      $entity->setTitle('Updated: ' . $entity->getTitle());
    }
  }
}

The OOP approach makes code more maintainable, testable, and aligned with PHP best practices. Working with clients, we've found this change particularly valuable for complex sites with extensive custom functionality.

JSON Schema Support for Content Entities

Drupal 11.2 automatically generates JSON schemas for all content entity types. This feature proves especially valuable for headless and decoupled Drupal implementations. The schemas provide clear API documentation and enable automatic validation, reducing integration complexity.

For teams building API-first solutions, this feature eliminates the manual effort of documenting entity structures. The schemas update automatically when content types change, ensuring API documentation stays current.

Single Directory Components with Variants

The Single Directory Components (SDC) feature now supports variants, allowing developers to create component presets with custom titles and descriptions. All related files:Twig templates, CSS, and JavaScript, live in a single directory, simplifying organization and maintenance.

This improvement addresses a common pain point in component-based development: file organization. Instead of hunting through multiple directories, developers can find everything related to a component in one place.

AVIF Image Support

Drupal 11.2 includes native support for AVIF image format with automatic WebP fallback. AVIF images offer superior compression compared to JPEG and PNG while maintaining high quality. The implementation automatically falls back to WebP when AVIF isn't supported on the server.

To enable AVIF support, add `avif` to the allowed extensions in your image field settings. The system handles format detection and fallback automatically.

Enhanced Caching and Performance

The caching system receives significant improvements in version 11.2. Smarter render cache logic reduces backend queries and cache tag complexity. These changes result in higher cache hit rates, faster page loads, and reduced server load.

Based on project work, these caching improvements typically deliver 15-20% faster page load times for content-heavy sites. The benefits become more pronounced as site complexity increases.

What's Coming in Drupal 11.3

Drupal 11.3 will stabilize the Decoupled Menus API, making headless development more straightforward. The API provides consistent menu data structures for frontend frameworks, eliminating custom integration code.

Layout Builder enhancements will introduce more drag-and-drop features and responsive controls. Admin UI modernization continues with improvements to the Claro admin theme and accessibility features.

Content Security Policy (CSP) support expands, providing stronger security headers for compliance-focused organizations. The developer experience improvements include more APIs, better documentation, and enhanced automated testing capabilities.

Why Upgrading Matters

Security and Compliance

Security updates only apply to supported versions. With Drupal 7 end-of-life and Drupal 10 support ending in 2026, upgrading ensures continued security coverage. This becomes critical for sites handling sensitive data or operating in regulated industries.

Performance Benefits

The performance improvements in Drupal 11.2 extend beyond installation speed. Optimized caching, lighter frontend assets, and improved scalability deliver tangible benefits for high-traffic sites. Organizations typically see 20-30% performance improvements after upgrading.

Development Experience

OOP hooks, SDC, and JSON schema support align Drupal with current PHP and frontend development practices. These changes make code easier to maintain, test, and extend. Development teams report improved productivity and reduced debugging time.

Future-Proofing

Staying current with Drupal releases ensures access to new features and innovations. It also makes future upgrades easier, as the gap between versions remains manageable.

Preparing for Your Upgrade

Requirements Assessment

Start by reviewing the Drupal 11.2 release notes and ensuring your hosting environment meets requirements. You'll need PHP 8.3 , MySQL 8.0 , and Composer 2.7 . Most hosting providers now support these versions, but verification prevents upgrade complications.

Site Audit

Use the Upgrade Status module to identify deprecated code and module compatibility issues. This tool scans your site and provides a detailed report of potential problems. Address these issues before beginning the upgrade process.

# Install Upgrade Status module
composer require drupal/upgrade_status
drush en upgrade_status

Module and Theme Updates

Update all contributed projects to their latest versions. Use Composer to manage dependencies and ensure compatibility:

composer require drupal/module_name:^x.y --no-update
composer update

Custom Code Preparation

Drupal Rector can automatically refactor deprecated code patterns. This tool handles many common deprecation issues, reducing manual work:

composer require --dev palantirnet/drupal-rector
vendor/bin/rector process web/modules/custom --dry-run

Upgrade Process

Backup and Staging

Always back up your database and files before upgrading. Test the upgrade in a staging environment first to identify and resolve issues without affecting production.

Core Upgrade Steps

The upgrade process involves updating Composer requirements and running database updates:

# Grant temporary write access
chmod 777 web/sites/default
chmod 666 web/sites/default/settings.php
chmod 666 web/sites/default/services.yml

# Update core packages
composer require 'drupal/core-recommended:^11.2' \
                'drupal/core-composer-scaffold:^11.2' \
                'drupal/core-project-message:^11.2' --no-update

# Update Drush
composer require 'drush/drush:^13' --no-update

# Update all dependencies
composer update

# Run database updates
drush updatedb

# Restore permissions
chmod 755 web/sites/default
chmod 644 web/sites/default/settings.php
chmod 644 web/sites/default/services.yml

# Clear cache
drush cr

Testing and Validation

Run automated tests after upgrading to catch regression issues. Check logs for errors and manually test critical workflows. Pay special attention to custom functionality and third-party integrations.

Common Upgrade Challenges

Module Compatibility

Some contributed modules may not yet support Drupal 11.2. Check for available patches, consider alternatives, or help maintainers update compatibility. The Drupal community typically addresses popular modules quickly.

Composer Dependency Conflicts

Dependency conflicts can occur during upgrades. Use `composer why-not drupal/core ^11` to debug issues. Sometimes updating all dependencies together resolves conflicts that appear when updating incrementally.

Custom Code Deprecations

Legacy custom code may use deprecated APIs. The Upgrade Status module identifies these issues, and Rector can fix many automatically. Manual updates may be needed for complex custom functionality.

Professional Recommendations

When working with clients, we recommend starting upgrade planning early. Complex sites benefit from gradual preparation: updating contributed modules, addressing deprecations, and testing in staging environments before the main upgrade.

For organizations with multiple sites, consider upgrading a less critical site first to identify common issues and refine the process. This approach reduces risk and improves efficiency for subsequent upgrades.

Document customizations and maintain a changelog of modifications. This practice simplifies troubleshooting and helps identify potential upgrade complications early.

Next Steps

Drupal 11.2 and 11.3 represent significant improvements in performance, security, and developer experience. The upgrade process, while requiring careful planning, delivers substantial benefits for organizations committed to maintaining current, secure websites.

Begin by assessing your current site's readiness and planning your upgrade timeline. Use the available tools and resources to identify and address potential issues early. Test thoroughly in staging environments before upgrading production sites.

For complex sites or organizations lacking internal Drupal expertise, consider partnering with experienced developers who can ensure smooth upgrades and help you take full advantage of the new features. The investment in professional assistance often pays for itself through reduced downtime and faster implementation of new capabilities.

The Drupal community continues to innovate and improve the platform. By staying current with releases like 11.2 and 11.3, you ensure your web presence remains secure, performant, and ready for future enhancements.