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Some people regard Drupal as only a web development system. It is a misconception, as the CMS helps experts build powerful apps. Make your products and services accessible from any smartphone and tablet — Drupal has you covered. Discover five essential advantages of technology today.
Today, this system is among the most popular CMS. People choose it for its reliability, security, flexibility, and other features. The range of tools for Drupal mobile development allows companies to expand their reach through flawless apps for portable devices. Here are other advantages.
What is Drupal
This open-source CMS is a seamless combination of core technology and extras, offering a wide array of additional modules that can be added as needed, with the total number exceeding 44,000 by the end of 2019. This variety empowers developers to create highly versatile platforms tailored to their clients’ requirements, easily adjustable to suit changing needs after deployment. For more information and resources on Drupal, you can explore articles at Debug Academy.
The use of Drupal is not limited to websites. Sure, developers can build a powerful and well-designed website packed with handy features for the user. However, this CMS is also perfect for your backend, and here is why.
1. An Incredibly Flexible CMS
The shared, synchronized environment allows faultless creation, transmission, and storing of information. The behavior of any block may be customized using special modules — it is easy to isolate the necessary information to work with it. Some plugins allow experts to automate the process of app creation thanks to jQuery Mobile technology.
2. Create Native or Non-Native Apps
Native apps for iOS and Android are distributed via the most popular app stores. Businesses may charge for their systems or develop them for free. They can impose fees for a subscription through any popular store and include advertising if necessary. Native apps allow you to engage specific capabilities of mobile devices, like camera, contacts, etc.
Non-native apps work in browsers. So, users may access them regardless of their OS. These web-based apps are based on languages like HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. Using dedicated toolkits, experts may either integrate it with Drupal at the theme layer or craft a standalone system that communicates with it via web services.
3. Responsive Design Thanks to Modules
Thousands of community-contributed modules and themes make development and tailoring easier. Experts may add functionality or customize the look and style in no time. Drupal is modular and easily extensible by design. Its elements may be uninstalled and reshuffled according to the client’s needs.
Through modules, developers achieve very different goals. For example, they may add elements for smooth user account management, effortless editing of content, adjustment of navigation, etc. A team of professionals will pack your content, business logic, user management, and search functionality into a single piece of mobile software.
Drupal 8 allows developers to meet the needs of mobile users easier than ever before. Many of its mobile features do not even require an additional installation. For starters, there are mobile-first responsive themes available through the Twig engine. Now, image resizing is automatic based on the dimensions of the screen. Creators may easily set rules for what should and should not be displayed.
4. Robust API
Drupal 8 uses powerful API technology. It allows your app to communicate with other systems smoothly and efficiently. REST API ensures instant sharing of data between websites and apps. Any activities in the app are instantly reflected in the CMS. You can synchronize all in one with a single button. Third-party integrations are just as impressive.
5. Impressive Benefits for Businesses
Business owners can expand their customer base and boost the bottom line by investing in Drupal-based apps. This open-source CMS provides many other advantages. First, companies add more avenues of communication with their clients and make their services accessible on the go.
Multichannel presence is crucial for promotion and corporate growth, as the modern consumer prefers mobile access over desktop use. Through apps, customers may access more useful features.
Should You Choose a Native or Non-Native App?
It depends on your needs. A native app is designed especially for the OS your customers use. Usually, they provide a slightly better user experience. However, there are the added costs of development from scratch. On the other hand, web apps do not require any downloads. The user can view your content on any device. To conclude, you should base your choice on two criteria:
- the purpose of the content, and
- whether you plan to charge customers for access or not.
One System, So Many Benefits
Drupal technology provides two options for app development. First, businesses may convert their Drupal website into a progressive mobile app. Secondly, the CMS serves as a solid backend platform for native and non-native apps. Thanks to the API-first principle, Drupal systems may easily synchronize with one another and communicate with third-party services as well. The abundance of kits and libraries arm experts with an impressive arsenal for mobile development and integration.
