Forget Ruby on Rails, Drupal 7 is ready to kick your aps.

1. 7 as a RAD Tool
I'm not kidding

2. Not a drag and drop app builder
Hook system
not obvious
Reminiscent of old word processor print drivers
Best suited to web apps
Output need not HTML
XML, RSS, services
New in 7
render elements universal - used to be in form
Render elements are new to Drupal 7's theme layer. They've existed since Drupal 4.7 as part of the Form API, but they've now been injected into the heart of the theme system. A Render
element is a complex data structure passed as a single parameter to theme(), as one of its variables. Render elements are fundamentally nested arrays that can include:
The data to be rendered Other render elements which are considered "children" of the element An array of structures such as CSS and JavaScript files, that should be attached to the page
when it is rendered A list of theme hooks that can be used to theme the data A list of callback functions to run on the element before and after it is themed
Climbing the hook tree
You can see a good implementation of this in views
In Drupal 7, there are 184 theme hooks that you could use in your own code. Many of those theme hooks are specific to a core module's usage, like theming an administration form, but it's
still useful to go through the entire list to find hooks you could reuse. To make it even easier, we've included a list of the most commonly reused theme hooks:
Credo: Sacrifice the API, preserve data. Means that API chances between version can be apocalyptic.
Data values in forms - move data in array - form_state
Persistent data in db
Tokens in core
Like several things moved into core, admin/interface remains in contrib - see field API
Drupal 7 introduces major changes to the way Drupal handles content. In earlier versions, nearly all content was considered a "node". By making content a standard object with a common
API, any module could add data to and manipulate that object to create complex data models and workflows.
That worked extremely well, with the exception that Drupal had several other types of objects, such as users or comments, that were not really "content" per se but could still have benefited
from the same rich API. For Drupal 7, therefore, most of those separate object types were merged into a single super-system known as "entities". Nodes, users, comments, and several
other types of data objects are now particular instances of the generic Entity data object concept. That allows all types of data to have the same, or at least very similar, API and workflow,
avoiding duplicate code and reducing the number of moving parts developers need to keep track of. Most importantly, it allows us to attach Fields, discrete structured pieces of information,
to any type of entity rather than just to nodes.
Bundles - entity subtypes
Schema API

3. What is Drupal?
• OOTB blog/website/CMS
• A set of APIs that let you turn it into almost
anything

4. What is Drupal?
• OOTB blog/website/CMS
• Okay, it’s still harder to get going than Wordpress, but it is much
improved in that regard in Drupal 7
• We don’t care
• A set of APIs that let you turn it into almost
anything
• This is the interesting part

5. Some Assumptions
• You have heard of Drupal
• You know that it is a popular CMS in the
library community
• You might know that it is easy to extend
• You might have heard some of the reasons,
like the hook system

6. We’re talking
framework here.

7. 7
• Why so long?
• Better alignment of contributed and core funcionality
• Stuff we have been waiting for since Drupal 5 and
Drupal 4.7
• #D7CX pledge:
• My module will be ready on the day Drupal 7 is
released

8. The Drupal Credo
Sac!fice " API, preserve " data
• Means that user data is gold. Developer effort
is expendable.
• API changes between versions can be
apocalyptic.

9. (Short) Tale of Two
Drupals
• Modules
• Theme
• Theme hooks
• Templates

10. Hook
• Reminiscent of ancient word processor print driver system
• Intercepted processes to build print stream
• Matched two APIs
• What the program wanted to send
• What the printer expected to see
• Economics - word processor companies wanted others to do their work for
them
• Flash forward
• Open source software
• A very simple system that allows developers to insert or modify functionality
almost anywhere. Without talking to each other.

11. Core Hooks in Drupal
6
custom_url_rewrite_inboundphp hook_hook_info hook_search
custom_url_rewrite_outboundphp hook_init See also, hook_boot. hook_search_preprocess
hook_access hook_insert hook_system_info_alterinfo files
hook_actions_delete hook_install hook_taxonomy
hook_action_info hook_link hook_term_path
hook_action_info_alter hook_link_alter hook_theme
hook_block hook_load hook_theme_registry_alter
hook_boot See also, hook_init.
78
hook_locale hook_translated_menu_link_alter
hook_comment hook_mail hook_translation_link_alter
hook_cron hook_mail_alterhook_menu hook_uninstall
hook_db_rewrite_sql hook_menu_alter hook_update
hook_delete hook_menu_link_alter hook_update_index
hook_disable hook_nodeapi hook_update_last_removed
hook_elements hook_node_access_records hook_update_N
hook_enable hook_node_grants hook_update_projects_alter
hook_exit hook_node_info hook_update_status_alter
hook_file_download hook_node_operations hook_user
hook_filter hook_node_type hook_user_operations
hook_filter_tips hook_openid hook_validate
hook_flush_caches hook_perm hook_view
hook_footer hook_ping hook_watchdog
hook_form hook_prepare module_hook
hook_forms hook_profile_alter module_implements
hook_form_alter hook_requirements module_invoke
hook_form_FORM_ID_alter hook_schema module_invoke_all
hook_help hook_schema_alter page_cache_fastpath

12. Core Hooks in Drupal
hook_actions_delete
hook_action_info
hook_action_info_alter
hook_admin_paths
hook_admin_paths_alter
7 hook_entity_delete
hook_entity_info
hook_entity_info_alter
hook_entity_insert
hook_entity_load
hook_js_alter
hook_language_fallback_candidates_alter
hook_language_init
hook_language_negotiation_info
hook_language_negotiation_info_alter
hook_node_update_index
hook_node_validate
hook_node_view
hook_node_view_alter
hook_openid
hook_aggregator_fetch hook_entity_prepare_view hook_language_switch_links_alter hook_openid_discovery_method_info
hook_aggregator_fetch_info hook_entity_presave hook_language_types_info hook_openid_discovery_method_info_alter
hook_aggregator_parse hook_entity_query_alter hook_language_types_info_alter hook_openid_normalization_method_info
hook_aggregator_parse_info hook_entity_update hook_library hook_openid_normalization_method_info_alter
hook_aggregator_process hook_entity_view hook_library_alter hook_openid_response
hook_aggregator_process_info
266
hook_entity_view_alter hook_load hook_overlay_child_initialize
hook_aggregator_remove hook_exit hook_locale hook_overlay_parent_initialize
hook_ajax_render_alter hook_filetransfer_info hook_mail hook_page_alter
hook_archiver_info hook_filetransfer_info_alter hook_mail_alter hook_page_build
hook_archiver_info_alter hook_file_copy hook_menu hook_page_delivery_callback_alter
hook_batch_alter hook_file_delete hook_menu_alter hook_path_delete
hook_block_configure hook_file_download hook_menu_breadcrumb_alter hook_path_insert
hook_block_info hook_file_insert hook_menu_contextual_links_alter hook_path_update
hook_block_info_alter hook_file_load hook_menu_delete hook_permission
hook_block_list_alter hook_file_mimetype_mapping_alter hook_menu_get_item_alter hook_prepare
hook_block_save hook_file_move hook_menu_insert hook_query_alter
hook_block_view hook_file_presave hook_menu_link_alter hook_query_TAG_alter
hook_block_view_alter hook_file_update hook_menu_link_delete hook_ranking
hook_block_view_MODULE_DELTA_alter hook_file_url_alter hook_menu_link_insert hook_rdf_mapping
hook_boot See also, hook_init. hook_file_validate hook_menu_link_update hook_rdf_namespaces
hook_comment_delete hook_filter_format_disable hook_menu_local_tasks_alter hook_registry_files_alter
hook_comment_insert hook_filter_format_insert hook_menu_site_status_alter hook_requirements
hook_comment_load hook_filter_format_update hook_menu_update hook_schema
hook_comment_presave hook_filter_info hook_modules_disabled hook_schema_alter
hook_comment_publish hook_filter_info_alter hook_modules_enabled hook_search_access
hook_comment_unpublish hook_flush_caches hook_modules_installed hook_search_admin
hook_comment_update hook_form hook_modules_uninstalled hook_search_execute
hook_comment_view hook_forms hook_module_implements_alter hook_search_info
hook_comment_view_alter hook_form_alter hook_multilingual_settings_changed hook_search_page
hook_contextual_links_view_alter hook_form_BASE_FORM_ID_alter hook_node_access hook_search_preprocess
hook_countries_alter hook_form_FORM_ID_alter hook_node_access_records hook_search_reset
hook_cron hook_help hook_node_access_records_alter hook_search_status
hook_cron_queue_info hook_hook_info hook_node_delete hook_shortcut_default_set
hook_cron_queue_info_alter hook_hook_info_alter hook_node_grants hook_simpletest_alter
hook_css_alter hook_html_head_alter hook_node_grants_alter hook_stream_wrappers
hook_custom_theme hook_image_default_styles hook_node_info hook_stream_wrappers_alter
hook_dashboard_regions hook_image_effect_info hook_node_insert hook_system_info_alterinfo files
hook_dashboard_regions_alter hook_image_effect_info_alter hook_node_load hook_system_themes_page_alter
hook_date_formats hook_image_styles_alter hook_node_operations h
hook_date_formats_alter hook_image_style_delete hook_node_prepare ook_taxonomy_term_delete
hook_date_format_types hook_image_style_flush hook_node_presave hook_taxonomy_term_insert
hook_date_format_types_alter hook_image_style_save hook_node_revision_delete hook_taxonomy_term_load
hook_delete hook_image_toolkits hook_node_search_result hook_taxonomy_term_presave
hook_disable hook_init See also, hook_boot. hook_node_submit hook_taxonomy_term_update
hook_drupal_goto_alter hook_insert hook_node_type_delete hook_taxonomy_term_view_alter
hook_element_info hook_install hook_node_type_insert hook_taxonomy_vocabulary_delete
hook_element_info_alter hook_install_tasks hook_node_type_update hook_taxonomy_vocabulary_insert
hook_enable hook_install_tasks_alter hook_node_update hook_taxonomy_vocabulary_load

13. What’s in the Box
Files that say stuff:
CHANGELOG.txt
COPYRIGHT.txt
INSTALL.mysql.txt
INSTALL.pgsql.txt
INSTALL.sqlite.txt
INSTALL.txt
LICENSE.txt
MAINTAINERS.txt
README.txt
UPGRADE.txt

14. What’s in the Box
Files that do stuff:
authorize.php
cron.php
index.php
install.php
robots.txt
update.php
web.config
xmlrpc.php

15. What’s in the Box
Directories:
includes
misc
profiles
scripts
modules
themes
sites
all
modules
themes
libraries
default

16. Modules
• Core module
• Contrib modules
• Learn to love associative arrays. Passing data
in strings is dead(ish)
• By using core hooks, modules achieve instant
interoperabity

17. help.info
; $Id: help.info,v 1.9 2010/12/20 19:59:42 webchick Exp $
name = Help
description = Manages the display of online help.
package = Core
version = VERSION
core = 7.x
files[] = help.test
; Information added by drupal.org packaging script on 2011-01-05
version = "7.0"
project = "drupal"
datestamp = "1294208756"

18. help.module -1
<?php
// $Id: help.module,v 1.99 2010/10/04 14:54:10 webchick Exp $
/**
* @file
* Manages displaying online help.
*/
}

19. help.module -2
/**
* Implements hook_menu().
*/
function help_menu() {
$items['admin/help'] = array(
'title' => 'Help',
'description' => 'Reference for usage, configuration, and modules.',
'page callback' => 'help_main',
'access arguments' => array('access administration pages'),
'weight' => 9,
'file' => 'help.admin.inc',
);
foreach (module_implements('help', TRUE) as $module) {
$items['admin/help/' . $module] = array(
'title' => $module,
'page callback' => 'help_page',
'page arguments' => array(2),
'access arguments' => array('access administration pages'),
'type' => MENU_VISIBLE_IN_BREADCRUMB,
'file' => 'help.admin.inc',
);
}
return $items;
}

20. help.module -3
/**
* Implements hook_help().
*/
function help_help($path, $arg) {
switch ($path) {
case 'admin/help':
$output = '<p>' . t('Follow these steps to set up and start using your website:') . '</p>';
$output .= '<ol>';
$output .= '<li>' . t('<strong>Configure your website</strong> Once logged in, visit the <a href="@admin">administration section</a>, where you
can <a href="@config">customize and configure</a> all aspects of your website.', array('@admin' => url('admin'), '@config' => url('admin/config'))) .
'</li>';
$output .= '</ol>';
$output .= '<p>' . t('For more information, refer to the specific topics listed in the next section or to the <a href="@handbook">online Drupal
handbooks</a>. You may also post at the <a href="@forum">Drupal forum</a> or view the wide range of <a href="@support">other support
options</a> available.', array('@help' => url('admin/help'), '@handbook' => 'http://drupal.org/handbooks', '@forum' => 'http://drupal.org/forum',
'@support' => 'http://drupal.org/support')) . '</p>';
---snip---
return $output;
case 'admin/help#help':
$output = '';
$output .= '<h3>' . t('About') . '</h3>';
---snip---
$output .= '<h3>' . t('Uses') . '</h3>';
$output .= '<dl>';
$output .= '<dt>' . t('Providing a help reference') . '</dt>';
---snip---
$output .= '<dd>' . t('The Help module displays context-sensitive advice and explanations on various pages.') . '</dd>';
$output .= '</dl>';
return $output;
}
}

21. help.test
<?php
// $Id: help.test,v 1.22 2010/11/27 20:25:44 dries Exp $
class HelpTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
protected $big_user;
protected $any_user;
public static function getInfo() {
return array(
'name' => 'Help functionality',
'description' => 'Verify help display and user access to help based on permissions.',
'group' => 'Help',
);
}
/**
* Enable modules and create users with specific permissions.
*/
function setUp() {
parent::setUp('blog', 'poll');
$this->getModuleList();
// Create users.
$this->big_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array('access administration pages', 'view the administration theme',
'administer permissions'));
$this->any_user = $this->drupalCreateUser(array());
}
}

22. Drupal APIs. Yum.
• core modules call core hooks
• Drupal 8 will be even more reliant on its own
APIs

23. New in Drupal 7
• Besides 190 new hooks
• More granular control of processing order
• 12 levels of preprocess function minimize
can’t get there from here issues
• SimpleTest framework in core
• Generally more consistent

24. So, What’s it Good For
• CMS
• WEB based applications
• Front ends to dedicated apps
• Islandora
• RDF
• Multi-output (XML, etc.)
• Data apps
• Anything

25. That’s All
• api.drupal.org
• Cary Gordon
The Cherry Hill Company
Los Angeles, CA
310-397-2999
cgordon@chillco.com
highermath (Drupal, irc, twitter, etc)
• BoF this afternoon