Comparing the Layout System from Drupal and Backdrop CMS

Backdrop CMS

By: Tim Erickson (@stpaultim)

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About Me! - @StPaulTim

• I’ve been to 39 Drupal Camps or Cons, since my first Twin Cities Drupal Camp in 2012.�
• I’ve helped organize 9 Backdrop LIVE events. Online virtual events for the Backdrop CMS community. Next one April 4 and 5th.�
• I’m on the Backdrop CMS Project Management Committee

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Thanks to my team in Bangladesh!

Objectives

1. To experiment with session topics that touch on both Drupal and Backdrop CMS. To reinforce the idea, that we’re still all part of the same family.�
2. To help folks interested in Backdrop CMS understand a fundamental difference between the two projects that might help them decide on which is better for them.�
3. To see if there things that either project can learn from other in the area of layouts.

​

Part Core Conversation - Part Site Building

Why Layouts?

Backdrop CMS is very much like Drupal 7 in many ways, but with many small improvements and new features.

Layouts is the biggest difference of them all and the most difficult to wrap ones head around. �

In Drupal, Layout Builder seems designed to address some of the same issues as the Backdrop CMS layout system, but with a slightly different approach.

Layout Builder seems to be still finding its footing in the Drupal Community.

Drupal 7 - Panels

How Layouts Work in Modern Drupal

1. The overall page layout is governed by the theme. Regions can be defined and blocks can be placed in the same way they were in Drupal 7.�

How Layouts Work in Modern Drupal

2) Within the content region site builders can use any of the following to customize�the appearance of their content

• Display Suites
• Paragraphs (Layout Paragraphs)
• Panels
• Layout Builder
• Other….

Layout Builder for Drupal

• Layout Builder is based, in many ways, on the Panels modules for Drupal 7.�
• Of the layout options mentioned earlier, this is the one that is now in core.�
• Layout Builder starts at the content type and allows custom layouts per content type.

Layout Builder for Drupal

• Layout Builder also allows custom layouts on a per node basis. �
• There are lots of contrib modules that extend Layout Builder and enhance it. �
• Layouts are nestable. A block can have a layout of it’s own, placed within the layout for a content type.

Modern Drupal: Layout Builder

Modern Drupal: Contrib Modules to Extend Layout Builder

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• Layout Builder Styles�
• Layout Builder Restrictions / Layout Builder Lock�
• Mini Layouts�
• Dashboards with Layouts�
• Layout Builder Simplify

Layouts in Backdrop CMS

• Backdrop CMS Layout system very much moduled on the Panels module from Drupal 7 (but with a much easier UI).�
• Layouts completely removed from the themes and a system in themselves.�
• Layouts control the entire page, including the header and footer.�
• Most folks coming from Drupal struggle to wrap their heads around the layout system, because it is such departure from the Drupal 7 way of doing things. But most of them love layouts, once the discover how it works.

Backdrop CMS: Layout System

Weaknesses of Layouts in Modern Drupal

• The system is complicated and adds “too much” complexity to site?�
• Custom blocks can not be exported via config�
• You can’t use it for universal layouts or for something beyond content types.�
• Does not control the full page. This is being discussed/worked on:�https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal/issues/2924058 �
• No visibility control for blocks.�https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal/issues/2916876 �
• The list of available blocks in Layout Builder is overwhelming to users�https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal/issues/3073648

Weaknesses of Layouts in Backdrop CMS

• Difficult to break Drupal habits.
• Create page called home. Assign this new home page as the home page content. �
• Header and Footer
• No one place (in core) to manage them. They must be edited per layout.
• See Copy Blocks or Mini Layouts�
• Blocks are in database �
• No block types (in UI) as in Modern Drupal�
• Making Contrib Themes is more difficult�
• Flexible Layout Templates are hidden and difficult to use. Need improvements in UI.�https://github.com/backdrop/backdrop-issues/issues/6314 �
• Changes to layouts can cause blocks placement to be jumbled.

Backdrop CMS: Contrib Modules to Extend Layouts

• Layout Wildcard�
• Mini Layouts �
• Copy Blocks�
• Layout Custom Theme�
• Layout Nodes

Something Drupal Does Well: Field Blocks

Backdrop Layout system has this, but it’s a really hidden feature that users don’t seem to be good at finding. �

When you create a content type layout in Layout Builder, Manage Blocks shows you your fields and let’s you reorganize them.

Something Backdrop CMS Does Well: Reusing Layouts

With Backdrop CMS, users can create a specific layout and assign it to specific nodes, as many as would like. This custom layout will then override the usual layout.

In Modern Drupal this does not seem possible with core features.

Flexible Layouts

Modern Drupal - Content Type Layouts are flexible out of the box. Rather from selecting from existing templates, one builds each one from scratch. I don’t know if it’s possible to reuse layouts.�

Backdrop CMS - By default one selects from a list of predefined layout templates. But, there is an option to create your own custom layout template which can then be reused.

Home Page Layout - Comparison

Backdrop CMS comes with a custom Home Page layout right out of the box. That can be modified and customized.

​

Drupal Layout builder doesn’t really address the home page, unless one creates a page with a custom layout and then assigns that page as the new home page.

Block Setting Comparison

Is this true?

Drupal - Blocks can be set in theme or in layout builder, if theme changes blocks layout changes�

Backdrop CMS - Blocks are set in layout and blocks layout does not change when theme changes

Demo

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