Top 10 Must-Have Drupal Modules in 2024 and What They Can Do

Drupal is a powerful content management system lauded for its flexibility, scalability, speed, and supportive open-source community. Due to that, many organisations, businesses, and government agencies worldwide use the system to develop and manage their websites and web applications.

Top 10 Must-Have Drupal Modules

According to Enlyft, a B2B customer intelligence platform for tech companies, over 300,000 companies use Drupal, taking in a market share of 2.5% in the web content management category. 

Drupal is still one of the best CMS in the market today. If you've already tried it or are contemplating using it for your projects, ensure the right set of modules is in place to make the most of its capabilities. 

Here, we'll introduce you to 10 must-have Drupal modules that will do a great job of enhancing the performance, security, and user experience of your website.

Key Takeaways

  • The best Drupal modules can enhance the functionality, security, and user experience of websites and web applications. 
  • Pathauto helps in making URL management more straightforward.
  • Admin Toolbar enhances the backend efficiency of a website.
  • When it comes to site development and debugging, Devel is the module you can't do without.
  • To develop advanced forms, consider Webform.
  • You can take your SEO effort to new heights with the help of Meta Tag, SEO Checklist, and Redirect.
  • Add more flexibility to your content creation by using Paragraphs. 
  • Custom content displays can be developed with ease using Views. 
  • Ensure quality content at all times by editing through CKEditor. 

Drupal Modules and Why They Matter

As someone who's been using or is planning to use Drupal, you're likely aware that this CMS's strength lies in its customisation options. The right combination of the most popular and most installed Drupal modules will enable you to enhance your website's capabilities minus the time-intensive coding process. If you have trouble installing or customising any of them, make sure to check our Drupal Services - we'd be happy to help you.

Just like WordPress plugins, Drupal modules can extend the basic functions of your website in a modular way. Some are meant to make it more efficient, while others are designed to augment its user experience, security, and maintenance abilities.

There are two types of modules available on Drupal.org

Those that are already baked into the system are called Core Modules, with some already enabled and some not.

There are also modules created by independent developers from Drupal's community, which are referred to as Contributor Party Modules. Unlike core modules, contributor party modules need to be installed to work. 

Some of the best Drupal modules have become so popular due to their functionality that they eventually became core modules in Drupal's later releases. 

Top Ten Drupal Modules to Try This 2024

Take note that you don't necessarily need modules for your Drupal website to operate. But, as we've mentioned earlier, they can greatly expand your site's capabilities, so disregarding them would be a waste.

When you're ready to use or integrate modules in your website, consider these 10 must-have Drupal modules.
 

1. Pathauto

Given the importance of SEO, Pathauto is a Drupal module you will certainly find valuable. It makes site URLs more SEO-friendly without requiring you to specify their path aliases manually. Instead, it automatically generates URL aliases based on configurable patterns, streamlining content creation and enhancing SEO.
 

2. Webform

Forms allow your site to gather information from users, and with the help of Webform, you can make this task more efficient. Aside from helping you create custom and multi-step forms and surveys with ease, this powerful module lets you configure complex conditional logic. It also allows for custom submission handling and integration with third-party services.
 

3. Responsive Images

The Responsive Image module offers an image formatter that optimises how images are displayed on various devices. It's a convenient solution to ensure your images look sharp and load quickly, whether viewed on a smartphone, tablet, or desktop.
 

4. Simple XML Sitemap

Every website can benefit from an automatic XML sitemap generator. This module generates sitemaps in accordance with the latest Google standards, so you can use it to create hreflang and image sitemaps.
 

5. Paragraphs

Paragraphs is a module designed to help enhance the flexibility of your site's content by enabling you to make structured, reusable content components. Instead of a large WYSIWYG body field, you can build pages combining multiple content "paragraphs," such as image plus text, slideshow, accordion, etc. This module is perfect for creating more complex and engaging content layouts without overwhelming you with complicated tools.
 

6. Admin Toolbar

When managing your site, the last thing you want is to deal with unorganised administrative tools. Admin Toolbar ensures you don't deal with that issue by transforming your site's admin interface into an efficient, hierarchical drop-down menu system. By adding a responsive toolbar, this module gives you access to all administrative sections with just a few clicks, saving you time and improving the interface's usability.
 

7. Devel

You know too well that routine debugging and updates are crucial to securing your website. Devel provides all the tools you could possibly need for efficient debugging and development. From insights into your site’s performance and internal workings to the ability to make dummy content, this tool makes it easier to troubleshoot and optimise your site.
 

8. Redirect

Proper path redirections are vital to maintaining quality SEO and enhancing user experience. Redirect module helps you manage path redirects effectively, avoiding broken links or 404 errors. With correct and up-to-date links in place, you can provide a seamless browsing experience for visitors while maintaining your site's search engine ranking.

9. Meta Tag

Another module to help with your SEO efforts is the Metatag. It automates meta tag generation for all your web pages, improving SEO and social media integration. The great thing about this module is that it supports a wide range of meta tag types, including Open Graph and Twitter Cards, helping enhance your website's credibility, visibility, and engagement.
 

10. SEO Checklist

How's your SEO doing? If you aren't certain what needs to be done to boost your site's search engine rankings, you should consider getting the SEO Checklist for your Drupal website. This module offers a systematic approach to optimising your website's content and structure by giving you a checklist or step-by-step guide to implementing SEO best practices.

Conclusion

The right combination of Drupal modules can make a huge difference in your website's overall performance. Each module we covered offers unique capabilities that address different aspects of website management, including content creation and layout, security, SEO, and administrative efficiency.

So, make sure to add the must-have modules we outlined above to your Drupal website. Doing so will ensure it remains competitive, user-friendly, secure, and optimised for search engines.

And if you have any further questions about Drupal, we'd be glad to chat with you!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Drupal, and what's good about it?

Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) that's widely lauded for its flexibility, scalability, and robust framework. It's often used to create custom websites with complex functionalities minus the difficulties of complex coding.
 

How do I install a Drupal module?

Installing a Drupal module entails visiting your site's administration area, navigating to 'Extend', clicking 'Install new module', and either uploading the module file or entering the module URL.

However it’s recommended to contact your Drupal developers team and use the Composer command for installing any new module.
 

Are these modules free?

Most Drupal modules, including the ones we recommended above, are free and open-source. Some might have additional paid services or premium features for extended capabilities.
 

Can I use these modules on any Drupal version?

Most modules are regularly updated to be compatible with the latest Drupal versions. We suggest that you check the module's version compatibility before installation.
 

What if a module is in conflict with another module?

Module conflicts can happen but are often resolved by adjusting settings or using patches. The Drupal community is active, and forums or issue queues are excellent resources for troubleshooting and finding solutions to module conflicts. Or, you could contact top Drupal Developers - Magnetic Point, and let us help you.