Drupal 7 - 11 Migration

Drupal Migration

Overview

UC Merced’s web platform is undergoing a major modernization effort as OIT migrates campus websites from Drupal 7 to Drupal 11.

Drupal 7 reached its official end of life in January 2025, meaning it no longer receives security updates or long-term support from the Drupal community. While our hosting partner has provided extended support to give institutions additional time to migrate, transitioning to a modern, supported platform is essential to maintaining the security, accessibility, and long-term sustainability of the university’s web presence.

Because of the significant architectural differences between Drupal 7 and Drupal 11, this project is a migration rather than a traditional software upgrade. Websites will be rebuilt on the new platform, existing content will be migrated and validated, and site owners will have the opportunity to review their sites before they are published.

Priority website migrations will begin in Fall 2026, with additional websites transitioning in phases thereafter.

Priority Sites & General Sites

This project effort will be broken out into phases and groups. As we continue to finalize the new look and feel of campus websites, we have identified 15 Priority UC Merced Websites that have high traffic, large page counts, or other extremely sensitive needs. These sites will be the first to be migrated to the Drupal 11 framework. Every other UC Merced website will be grouped and be provided further information on when their website will be migrated throughout the fall semester.

Priority = Priority Websites

General = General Websites

Timeline

Prepare

An Icon of a Map to signifiy preparation

Priority WebsitesGeneral Websites

Snapshot

An Icon of a Camera to signifiy Snapshot

Review

An Icon of a To-Do List to signifiy validation

Launch

An Icon of a Checkbox to signifiy Migrated

Steps of the Timeline

An icon signifying PreparePrepare

Preparation is the most important phase of the migration and where website owners can have the greatest impact. This is more than moving content to a new platform; it’s an opportunity to improve the quality, accuracy, and accessibility of your website.

Every page that is migrated is an opportunity to ask whether it should continue to exist, whether it is still accurate, and whether it remains the best source of truth for that information.

As part of the Preparation phase, website owners should:

  • Migrate Drupal Webforms: Drupal Webforms will not be supported in Drupal 11. Begin recreating existing forms using Microsoft Forms or another approved solution before your website enters migration.
  • Review Your Content: Remove outdated, duplicated, or unnecessary content before migration. Well-maintained websites are easier to migrate, easier to validate, and more useful to the people—and increasingly the AI-powered tools—that rely on them.
  • Engage with the Project: Review project resources, attend migration webinars, and stay informed throughout the process. If you have questions, contact the migration team at drupalupgrade@ucmerced.edu.
  • Review Editor Access: There are many websites with outdated editor lists. Keeping permissions current improves security and ensures clear ownership. 

A successful migration is measured not only by moving content to a new platform, but by improving the quality and trustworthiness of the university’s digital information.

An icon signifying SnapshotSnapshot

Your website’s Snapshot marks the point at which its content is captured for migration to Drupal 11. Changes made to your Drupal 7 website after this date will not be included in the migration and will need to be recreated in Drupal 11. OIT will provide your Snapshot date well in advance so you have time to complete content updates before migration begins.

An icon signifying ReviewReview

Once your website snapshot has been migrated to Drupal 11, OIT and our migration partner will perform technical validation to ensure the website functions as expected. After those checks are complete, you’ll be invited to review your migrated website and confirm that its content, functionality, and overall presentation meet your expectations before it is published.

This is your opportunity to identify any remaining issues and ensure your website is ready to launch on the new platform.

An icon signifying LaunchLaunch

Congratulations! Your website has successfully launched on Drupal 11.

At this point, your Drupal 11 website becomes the official version of your site and all future content updates should be made there. OIT will continue to provide training, documentation, and support as you become familiar with the new platform.

While the migration project may be complete, website stewardship continues. Regularly reviewing and maintaining your content helps ensure your website remains accurate, accessible, and trustworthy for everyone who relies on it.

As we continue to move forward with this project and have more information to share please keep an eye on this website and read through our FAQ page.