A Comprehensive Guide to Migrating Your Website from Drupal to WordPress

Many website builders initially consider Drupal for its robust capabilities. However, its complexity and steep learning curve can be challenging, especially for those new to web development. WordPress often emerges as a preferred alternative due to its intuitive interface and accessibility, making it a popular choice for countless projects.

Transitioning an entire website between platforms can understandably cause concern. The prospect of losing valuable content or disrupting site functionality is a common worry. This guide outlines a systematic approach to ensure a smooth and secure migration from Drupal to WordPress, based on proven methods used by experienced developers.

Reasons for Considering a Move to WordPress

While Drupal and WordPress are both powerful content management systems, their operational philosophies differ significantly. Drupal offers extensive customization and control, which can sometimes translate to complexity for routine tasks. Simple content updates may require more steps, and finding specialized developers can be both difficult and costly. The administrative interface can also present a barrier for some users.

WordPress is widely recognized for its user-friendly design. It functions as a versatile, everyday tool that simplifies common website management activities. Publishing blog posts, embedding images, or adding functional elements like contact forms are typically straightforward processes within the WordPress environment.

In contrast, Drupal can be likened to a specialized instrument—extremely powerful for specific, complex applications but potentially excessive for standard website needs. Tasks that are simple in WordPress, such as creating a custom page layout, may involve a more involved procedure in Drupal.

The following steps provide a roadmap for safely transferring your website:

• Step 1. Create a Complete Backup of Your Drupal Site and URL Structure
• Step 2. Install and Configure WordPress
• Step 3. Transfer Your Drupal Content
• Step 4. Redirect Your Domain to the New WordPress Site
• Step 5. Configure Permalinks and Set Up Redirects
• Step 6. Select and Customize a WordPress Theme
• Step 7. Add Necessary WordPress Plugins
• Additional Guidance: Getting Started with WordPress
• Common Questions About Drupal to WordPress Migration
• Post-Migration Steps and Next Actions

Step 1. Create a Complete Backup of Your Drupal Site and URL Structure

Initiating a migration requires first securing a full copy of your existing Drupal website. This backup serves as a safety net throughout the process.

It is also crucial to document your current URL structure. This information is vital for preserving search engine rankings and ensuring a seamless user experience after the move.

Using a Module for Drupal Backup

The simplest method for backing up a Drupal site involves using a dedicated module, though a manual approach is also an option for technically inclined users.

The free Backup and Migrate module offers a straightforward solution. Begin by downloading it from the official Drupal repository. After obtaining the zip file, access your Drupal admin panel and go to the Extend section in the main menu.

Click the + Install new module button.

On the subsequent screen, upload the downloaded zip file. Once installation is complete, return to the main Extend page.

Locate the ‘Backup and Migrate’ module in the list (often found under ‘Other’), select the checkbox beside it, and click the ‘Install’ button at the page bottom.

After installation, the module will appear in your admin menu. It allows you to create backups of your database, files, or a combination of both. For a comprehensive site backup, select all components.

Manual Backup Procedure for Drupal

For users comfortable with technical processes, a manual backup is an alternative.

First, back up your website files using your hosting provider's file manager or an FTP client. Navigate to your site's root directory, typically named public_html or www. Right-click this folder and choose the ‘Compress’ option.

When prompted for a compression format, select ‘Zip Archive’. After compression completes, close the confirmation message.

Find the newly created zip file within the public_html folder. Right-click it and select ‘Download’. Store this backup file in a secure location.

Next, back up your database using phpMyAdmin, a tool commonly available in hosting account dashboards.

For instance, on hosting platforms like Bluehost, you can typically find it under the Hosting section.

Clicking the phpMyAdmin link usually opens it in a new browser tab.

Select your Drupal database from the left-hand column, then click the ‘Export’ tab at the top.

Choose the ‘Custom’ export method to display all database tables associated with your Drupal site.

Ensure every table is selected for a complete backup.

Note: Your specific table names (such as node or taxonomy_term_data) will differ from generic examples, but the export procedure remains identical.

Scroll to the ‘Output’ section and enable the ‘Save output to a file’ option.

Select ‘zipped’ for compression.

Finally, click the ‘Go’ button at the bottom of the page.

The compressed database file will download to your computer. Store it securely alongside your file backup.

Documenting Your URL Structure

Preserving your link structure is essential for SEO and maintaining user access. Compile a list of all current Drupal URLs to facilitate the setup of redirects in WordPress later. This ensures visitors using old links are automatically directed to the corresponding page on the new site.

A useful tool for this task is the Link Klipper Chrome extension. It is free, simple to operate, and can efficiently extract all links from a website. Install it via the Chrome Web Store.

Navigate to your Drupal site's homepage in Chrome. Click the Link Klipper icon in the toolbar and select ‘Extract All Links’. This will generate a list of your site's URLs, which you should save for the next stages of the migration.