Drupal powers many small-to-medium websites, from personal blogs to company intranets. Drupal also powers big sites like The Economist and The White House. How are the big sites different from the small ones? What are the main issues to consider when adopting Drupal for the enterprise? What skillset do developers need to build them?

1. Big Websites
Diana Montalion Dupuis : @dianadupuis
previously: @mooncougar
Robert Ristroph : @robgr
Drupal powers many small-to-medium websites, from personal
blogs to company intranets. Drupal also powers big sites like
The Economist and The White House. How are the big sites
different from the small ones?
Four Kitchens : @fourkitchens

2. With a lot of caching
Dallas Drupal Days 2011

3. Before big websites

4. Before big websites
• Clients would come to me and ask me to build
them a website.

5. Before big websites
• Clients would come to me and ask me to build
them a website.
• I would build them a website.

6. I would . . .

7. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.

8. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).

9. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).
• download, install and configure modules or plug-
ins.

10. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).
• download, install and configure modules or plug-
ins.
• sometimes install and configure compatible apps
like CiviCRM or a shopping cart.

11. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).
• download, install and configure modules or plug-
ins.
• sometimes install and configure compatible apps
like CiviCRM or a shopping cart.
• merge some data, maybe.

12. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).
• download, install and configure modules or plug-
ins.
• sometimes install and configure compatible apps
like CiviCRM or a shopping cart.
• merge some data, maybe.
• build a theme, install it, and cross-browser test.

13. I would . . .
• meet with a client, define their business goals and
technical needs, create a site plan.
• download and install a CMS (usually Drupal).
• download, install and configure modules or plug-
ins.
• sometimes install and configure compatible apps
like CiviCRM or a shopping cart.
• merge some data, maybe.
• build a theme, install it, and cross-browser test.
• rebuild the theme for IE6.

14. I would . . .

15. I would . . .
• sprinkle on (just enough) javascript.

16. I would . . .
• sprinkle on (just enough) javascript.
• log in as user 1 and click configuration buttons.

17. I would . . .
• sprinkle on (just enough) javascript.
• log in as user 1 and click configuration buttons.
• teach the user how to use their site.

18. Afterwards,

19. Afterwards,
• clients called me when they had a problem.

20. Afterwards,
• clients called me when they had a problem.
• I would fix it.

21. Simpler times

22. Simpler times
• Caching was a browser issue. "Did you clear your
cache?"

23. Simpler times
• Caching was a browser issue. "Did you clear your
cache?"
• Version control was ensuring there was a backup
or rollback ability.

24. Simpler times
• Caching was a browser issue. "Did you clear your
cache?"
• Version control was ensuring there was a backup
or rollback ability.
• Performance was not serving an automatically-
playing video on the homepage.

25. Simpler times
• Caching was a browser issue. "Did you clear your
cache?"
• Version control was ensuring there was a backup
or rollback ability.
• Performance was not serving an automatically-
playing video on the homepage.
• Scalability was a functionality issue. "Can I add a
picture gallery later?"

26. Simpler times
• Caching was a browser issue. "Did you clear your
cache?"
• Version control was ensuring there was a backup
or rollback ability.
• Performance was not serving an automatically-
playing video on the homepage.
• Scalability was a functionality issue. "Can I add a
picture gallery later?"
• I longed to write more code.

27. Little Bobby Tables

28. Then, things changed.

29. Then, things changed.
• I joined Four Kitchens, birthplace of Pressflow,
and was surrounded by major league Big Website
foo.

30. Then, things changed.
• I joined Four Kitchens, birthplace of Pressflow,
and was surrounded by major league Big Website
foo.
• In time, I became the team lead for the Austin
(aka Janus) team working on The Economist online.
Rob is currently the team lead.

31. Then, things changed.
• I joined Four Kitchens, birthplace of Pressflow,
and was surrounded by major league Big Website
foo.
• In time, I became the team lead for the Austin
(aka Janus) team working on The Economist online.
Rob is currently the team lead.
• I went from a one-woman expertise factory to a
developer who *needs* her teammates to survive
the workday.

32. How The Economist
changed my (work) life

33. How The Economist
changed my (work) life
• Most of the functionality I add is custom built or at
least customized.

34. How The Economist
changed my (work) life
• Most of the functionality I add is custom built or at
least customized.
• I often have to study more (custom) code than I
write when implementing new functionality.

35. How The Economist
changed my (work) life
• Most of the functionality I add is custom built or at
least customized.
• I often have to study more (custom) code than I
write when implementing new functionality.
• I build a branch for every task and merge code into
the codebase when it's done.

36. How The Economist
changed my (work) life
• Most of the functionality I add is custom built or at
least customized.
• I often have to study more (custom) code than I
write when implementing new functionality.
• I build a branch for every task and merge code into
the codebase when it's done.
• I am rarely the only person working on that
branch.

37. How The Economist
changed my (work) life
• Most of the functionality I add is custom built or at
least customized.
• I often have to study more (custom) code than I
write when implementing new functionality.
• I build a branch for every task and merge code into
the codebase when it's done.
• I am rarely the only person working on that
branch.
• If I do use a contributed module, it has it’s own
vendor branch.

39. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.

40. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.
• I test everything in four different environments
(versions of the website) before it is "Done".

41. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.
• I test everything in four different environments
(versions of the website) before it is "Done".
• I write a test (Selenium, currently) for any new
functionality I create.

42. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.
• I test everything in four different environments
(versions of the website) before it is "Done".
• I write a test (Selenium, currently) for any new
functionality I create.
• I work in the command line every day, not just
during install.

43. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.
• I test everything in four different environments
(versions of the website) before it is "Done".
• I write a test (Selenium, currently) for any new
functionality I create.
• I work in the command line every day, not just
during install.
• Local work is done using VMWare running a Centos
enviroment (no MAMP) configured to match the
production environment.

44. • Every bit of code I write (even in the theme) is
reviewed (more than once) before it is merged.
• I test everything in four different environments
(versions of the website) before it is "Done".
• I write a test (Selenium, currently) for any new
functionality I create.
• I work in the command line every day, not just
during install.
• Local work is done using VMWare running a Centos
enviroment (no MAMP) configured to match the
production environment.
• It takes hours to download a new database for my
local environment.

46. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.

47. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.

48. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.
• Performance and scalability is a science involving.
multiple servers, load balancers, CDN, Varnish, etc
that I need to understand.

49. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.
• Performance and scalability is a science involving.
multiple servers, load balancers, CDN, Varnish, etc
that I need to understand.
• Complicated tasks running "in the
background" (cron, drush/Hudson) are Chuck-
Norris-level customizations.

50. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.
• Performance and scalability is a science involving.
multiple servers, load balancers, CDN, Varnish, etc
that I need to understand.
• Complicated tasks running "in the
background" (cron, drush/Hudson) are Chuck-
Norris-level customizations.
• I will never know enough Javascript.

51. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.
• Performance and scalability is a science involving.
multiple servers, load balancers, CDN, Varnish, etc
that I need to understand.
• Complicated tasks running "in the
background" (cron, drush/Hudson) are Chuck-
Norris-level customizations.
• I will never know enough Javascript.
• Everything must be in code, even admin
configurations. I never click a button.

52. • The havoc I could wreak if I’m not careful keeps
me up nights.
• I *always* have to think about caching, in layers.
• Performance and scalability is a science involving.
multiple servers, load balancers, CDN, Varnish, etc
that I need to understand.
• Complicated tasks running "in the
background" (cron, drush/Hudson) are Chuck-
Norris-level customizations.
• I will never know enough Javascript.
• Everything must be in code, even admin
configurations. I never click a button.
• I apply relational skills as often as software
development skills to problems or inventing

54. • I attend a lot more meetings.

55. • I attend a lot more meetings.
• I read and answer a river of emails - every day.

56. • I attend a lot more meetings.
• I read and answer a river of emails - every day.
• I always know what time it is in London and New
York and Seattle and Los Angeles.

57. • I attend a lot more meetings.
• I read and answer a river of emails - every day.
• I always know what time it is in London and New
York and Seattle and Los Angeles.
• Besides writing code together, the other devs and I
have bowled, snowshoed, played with dry ice, seen
Weird Al in person, pub crawled in London, drank
awesomesauce in Copenhagen, watched Tron 3D at
the IMAX, and smoked hookah together.

58. Code-Review Velocci

59. Categories of differences

60. Categories of differences
• Version control

61. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments

62. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments
• Quality control

63. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments
• Quality control
• Back-end processes

64. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments
• Quality control
• Back-end processes
• Performance and scalability

65. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments
• Quality control
• Back-end processes
• Performance and scalability
• Project management (Scrum!)

66. Categories of differences
• Version control
• Workflow and development environments
• Quality control
• Back-end processes
• Performance and scalability
• Project management (Scrum!)
• Group think and relationship management.

67. Version control

68. Version control
• I <3 Bazaar (launchpad)

69. Version control
• I <3 Bazaar (launchpad)
• Drupal uses Git (github)

70. Version control
• I <3 Bazaar (launchpad)
• Drupal uses Git (github)
• I !<3 SVN or CVS but they are better than nothing.

71. Version control
• I <3 Bazaar (launchpad)
• Drupal uses Git (github)
• I !<3 SVN or CVS but they are better than nothing.
• Branching

72. Version control
• I <3 Bazaar (launchpad)
• Drupal uses Git (github)
• I !<3 SVN or CVS but they are better than nothing.
• Branching
• Questions?

73. Workflow and dev
environments

74. Workflow and dev
environments
• Sameness in local environments is good.

75. Workflow and dev
environments
• Sameness in local environments is good.
• Plan development well or die.

76. Workflow and dev
environments
• Sameness in local environments is good.
• Plan development well or die.
• Establish version control flow.

77. Workflow and dev
environments
• Sameness in local environments is good.
• Plan development well or die.
• Establish version control flow.
• Questions?

78. Quality control

79. Quality control
• Code reviews

80. Quality control
• Code reviews
• Testing

81. Quality control
• Code reviews
• Testing
• Definition of Done

82. Quality control
• Code reviews
• Testing
• Definition of Done
• Questions?

83. Back-end processes

84. Back-end processes
• Cron tasks

85. Back-end processes
• Cron tasks
• Custom drush commands

86. Back-end processes
• Cron tasks
• Custom drush commands
• Custom scripting

87. Back-end processes
• Cron tasks
• Custom drush commands
• Custom scripting
• Questions?

88. Performance and
scalability

89. Performance and
scalability
• Caching: Varnish and memcache

90. Performance and
scalability
• Caching: Varnish and memcache
• Multiple servers, load balancing, CDN

91. Performance and
scalability
• Caching: Varnish and memcache
• Multiple servers, load balancing, CDN
• Questions?

92. Project management

93. Project management
• Absolutely, positively, essential to do this well.

94. Project management
• Absolutely, positively, essential to do this well.
• Scrum

95. Project management
• Absolutely, positively, essential to do this well.
• Scrum
• Questions?

96. Relationship management

97. Relationship management
• Relationship skills are as important (more
important?) as geek skills.

98. Relationship management
• Relationship skills are as important (more
important?) as geek skills.
• Questions?

100. Thank You!