DrupalCon Paris 2009: Staging Drupal

Chris and I presented options to handle multiple working environments for one drupal site.  Our goals were:

• Discuss the challenges with developing a site in multiple environments
• Offer some solutions
• Purpose of our process and tools used across multiple environments
  • Allow for seamless code integration (syncing)
  • Increase efficiency of distributing database changes
  • Minimize downtime and errors while updating the production site

Chris focused on syncing code through source control while I discussed handling database changes made via the administrative interface.

Highlights

• Use symbolic links with multi-site installation
• Use templates for site specific files like settings.php
• Flow is like a pipline - 1 way from development -> testing -> production
• Tag and release
• If administrative changes are long, write an update script
• Use drupal functions
• Examples for
  • Variable table
  • Content types
  • Vocabulary
  • Terms
  • Nodes
  • Views
  • Permissions
• List of resources

Download

Slides
Video
Site module example code

Contact the presenters!

Michelle Lauer
drupal.org: miche
twitter: @bymiche

Chris Pliakas
drupal.org: cpliakas
twitter: @cpliakas

CommonPlaces e-Solutions
website: commonplaces.com
twitter: @commonplaces