Calibrate
Contact

Drupal and Jamstack: A powerful collaboration for modern websites

Jeroen Degloire

Jeroen Degloire

Drupal Developer

What is Jamstack?

Jamstack is a modern architectural approach to Web development. The term "Jamstack" stands for JavaScript, APIs and Markup. Instead of a traditional server-side rendering (SSR) approach, where the server dynamically generates HTML pages, Jamstack uses pre-generated static files. These files are built in advance and served at runtime, making Web sites faster and more secure.

What is Jamstack used for?

Jamstack is becoming increasingly popular for various types of Web sites and Web applications. It is particularly suitable for: 

  • Websites with high performance requirements: Jamstack uses CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) to bring content closer to the user, resulting in faster load times. 
  • E-commerce: E-commerce websites benefit from Jamstack's scalability and speed, allowing them to handle peak traffic smoothly. 
  • Blogs and news websites: Easy content management and security benefits make Jamstack attractive to publishing platforms. 
  • Web applications: Jamstack's API-driven nature allows developers to build complex Web applications using modern frameworks.

4 Misconceptions about Jamstack

1

Only suitable for simple websites: A common misconception is that Jamstack is only suitable for simple Web sites. In reality, Drupal and Jamstack: A powerful collaboration for modern Web sites 2 Jamstack can be applied to a wide range of projects, including complex Web applications.

2

Limited Dynamics: Some people think Jamstack means static websites without dynamic functionality. This is not true. Jamstack uses client-side JavaScript to add dynamic elements, while the basic content remains static.

3

Difficult content management: The idea that Jamstack makes content management difficult is false. There are numerous headless CMS systems available that can be seamlessly integrated with Jamstack, making content management as easy as with traditional CMS systems.

4

Scalability limitations: Another misconception is that Jamstack would not scale well. In fact, Jamstack can be highly scalable, especially when content is delivered through CDNs (Content Delivery Networks) for optimal performance and availability.

How Can Drupal and JAMstack Work Together?

If you are already using Drupal, you may be wondering how Jamstack fits into this picture and what benefits this combination can bring to your project. Let's discuss this in more detail.

Drupal as a Jamstack CMS

Drupal is a powerful Content Management System (CMS) that has long been used for managing websites and content. It is known for its flexibility and customizability, making it a popular choice for companies and organizations managing complex Web sites and Web applications. 

With Drupal as Jamstack CMS, you can enjoy the following benefits:

1

Content management: Drupal provides a powerful and easy-to-use interface for managing content. Editors can easily create and edit content, and this content can then be retrieved by the Jamstack site via APIs.

2

Customizability: Drupal is known for its customizability. You can define content types, configure fields and create views to define the content structure based on the needs of your project.

3

Content reuse: Drupal allows you to repurpose content and distribute it across different channels. This is useful for organizations that want to publish the same content on multiple platforms.

4

Using Drupal modules: Drupal has an extensive library of modules that can add additional functionality to your Jamstack Web site. For example, these modules can enable integrations with external services or improve search functionality.

Benefits of JAMstack

Jamstack, on the other hand, offers advantages such as speed, scalability and security. It uses pre-generated static files delivered through Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), making Web sites load quickly and better able to withstand traffic spikes. In addition, it minimizes the attack vector, improving security.

Lower Hosting Costs

An additional benefit of Jamstack is its significantly lower hosting costs compared to a traditional LAMP stack. Because Jamstack uses static files, it requires fewer server resources, resulting in hosting savings. This is especially noticeable for high-traffic Web sites, where hosting costs can be a significant expense. 

Overall, JAMstack offers significant advantages in terms of speed, security, scalability and maintenance compared to a traditional LAMP stack. This makes JAMstack an attractive choice for modern Web development, especially for companies seeking fast, secure and scalable Web sites.

How They Work Together

So the question is how to leverage the best of both worlds. Here are some ways Drupal and Jamstack can work together:

1

Headless Drupal as a Content Backend: You can use Drupal as a headless CMS, which means it acts as a content backend for your Jamstack Web site. Drupal can manage and deliver content via an API to the Jamstack site, which generates the content as static files.

2

Content Synchronization: By using APIs and automation tools, you can ensure that content updates in Drupal are automatically synchronized with the Jamstack site. This ensures that you always have the latest content.

Build Process (Build): In the Jamstack model, the deployment process begins with building the Web site. During this process, static HTML files are generated based on the site's source code and content. 

Automation and CI/CD: The deployment process can be automated using Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. This means that when changes are made to the source code or content, the deployment process is started automatically.

3

Use of Modern Front-end Frameworks: Jamstack uses modern front-end frameworks such as React, Vue.js or Angular to add dynamic elements. These can integrate seamlessly with the content provided by Drupal.

The separation of content management and site generation allows both Drupal and the Jamstack site to perform optimally. Drupal can focus on content management, while the Jamstack site can concentrate on delivering that content quickly to end users.

Benefits of this collaboration

The combination of Drupal and Jamstack offers some attractive advantages:

  • Scalability: Drupal can manage content, while the Jamstack site remains scalable and fast, which is useful for growing Web sites.
  • Security: The separation of the back-end and front-end reduces risk and improves security.
  • Drupal and Jamstack: A powerful partnership for modern websites 5
  • Fast load times: Jamstack benefits from pre-generated static files and CDNs, enabling fast load times.
  • Flexibility: You can still take advantage of Drupal's customizability and flexibility for content management.

In short, the collaboration between Drupal and Jamstack can result in a powerful and scalable Web solution with the benefits of both approaches. It offers the ability to easily manage content in Drupal, while the Jamstack architecture ensures optimal performance and security for your Web site.