{"id":8639,"date":"2020-10-23T17:18:25","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T14:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/?p=8639"},"modified":"2026-03-08T23:47:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T23:47:14","slug":"drupal-module-development-3-kick-off-online-guides","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/drupal-module-development-3-kick-off-online-guides.html","title":{"rendered":"Drupal Module Development: 3 Kick-Off Online Guides"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Want to learn how to develop a Drupal 8\/9 module? Follow one (or all) of the guides below<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><i>In this post, you will find a collection of online guides on<\/i><i> Drupal 8\/9 module development<\/i><i>. Pick one that suits you and follow the instructions. It\u2019s true that becoming a competent <\/i><i>Drupal 8\/9 module developer t<\/i><i>akes more than reading one tutorial. Still, it\u2019s a chance to look under the hood and see what <\/i><i>Drupal module development<\/i><i> is like.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Drupal is one of the comparatively few software products that has successfully stood the test of time. Released almost two decades ago, this Content Management Framework (CMF) is still the number one choice among companies of all sizes.<\/p>\n<p>A CMF is more powerful than an ordinary content management system such as WordPress. It is, in fact, so powerful that it can serve as a basis for creating other content management systems by reusing software components. In the Drupal terminology, these recycled components are known as <b>modules<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>Modules bring flexibility to Drupal, making it suitable both for small business sites and enterprise applications. They are, in essence, folders that contain PHP, CSS, and JS files. Modules come in three flavors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Core<\/li>\n<li>Contributed<\/li>\n<li>Custom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let\u2019s briefly talk about their main features, benefits, and drawbacks before we proceed to the discussion of Drupal module development tutorials.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Three Types of Drupal Modules<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-8662\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23161630\/3-types-of-Drupal-modules-1024x448.png\" alt=\"The Types of Drupal modules\" width=\"900\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23161630\/3-types-of-Drupal-modules-1024x448.png 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23161630\/3-types-of-Drupal-modules-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23161630\/3-types-of-Drupal-modules-768x336.png 768w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23161630\/3-types-of-Drupal-modules.png 1947w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Core Drupal Modules<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>These are shipped with every Drupal distribution package. There is no need to install them specifically. Just enable and use them. Examples include <a href=\"\/blog\/how-drupal-8-makes-your-website-accessible.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accessibility modules<\/a>, such as the Inline Form Errors module, or modules for <a href=\"\/blog\/why-is-drupal-8-the-top-choice-for-building-multilingual-websites.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">building multilingual sites<\/a> like the Content Translation module. One of the key differences between Drupal 7 and Drupal 8\/9 is the number and variety of core modules, with the latter having more of these than the former.<\/p>\n<p>Core modules are \u201cuntouchable,\u201d as one of the most important principles of Drupal development says that you should never change the core functionality. If you do, you may have to face a number of serious issues, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No availability of updates<\/li>\n<li>Security problems<\/li>\n<li>Maintenance nightmare<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What if you need a feature that the basic package doesn\u2019t have, though? This is when you should either find a corresponding contributed module or hire a professional <a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/drupal-development.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Drupal 8\/9 module developer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Contributed Drupal Modules<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Drupal is famously known for its large and active developer community. There are lots of enthusiasts across the globe who want to improve the platform by creating new external modules for it. You can find thousands of free contributed modules on Drupal.org for all purposes imaginable, from search engine optimization to advertising.<\/p>\n<p>This variety is actually a double-edged sword. A rank-and-file Drupal site owner will be hard-pressed to find a good contributed module that meets their granular requirements. There is a host of criteria to take into account:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Is the module regularly updated?<\/li>\n<li>Is it widely used by other people?<\/li>\n<li>Have any technical issues been reported?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Another important consideration is the version of Drupal that the module is compatible with. Drupal 8\/9 uses a newer version of PHP. Therefore, if a module is intended for Drupal 7, it will be completely useless in Drupal 8\/9.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, contributed modules can include many redundant features you don\u2019t really need. This may cause the website to run slower. Finally, the code of a contributed module may have conflicts with the core or other contributed modules you\u2019ve installed before.<\/p>\n<p>The best way to avoid all this trouble is Drupal 8\/9 custom module development.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Custom Module Development in Drupal 8\/9<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This is by far the best way to add unique features to a Drupal-based website. A Drupal 8\/9 module developer creates a plugin that\u2019s tailored to your specific project. For example, if you need to accept money from visitors, you can have your own checkout functionality.<\/p>\n<p>Drupal custom module development can be more or less expensive. A developer can simply download an existing contributed module and modify it in any way they want (add your code, remove or change the existing code). This will normally take less time and require a smaller investment.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, Drupal 8\/9 plugin development from the ground up is quite common too. Whichever method you ultimately choose, the result should be a well-tested, lightweight module that satisfies all your business requirements. If you want to know how to develop a Drupal 8\/9 module, we\u2019ve outlined 3 online guides on Drupal 8\/9 custom module development.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>3 \u00a0Drupal Module Development Guides for Beginners You Can Find Online<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>Creating Custom Modules \u2014 Official Drupal Module Development Documentation<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-8656\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153554\/official-drupal-module-development-guide-1024x448.png\" alt=\"Official Drupal custom module development guide\" width=\"900\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153554\/official-drupal-module-development-guide-1024x448.png 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153554\/official-drupal-module-development-guide-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153554\/official-drupal-module-development-guide-768x336.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s only natural that we should begin our overview with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drupal.org\/docs\/creating-custom-modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official Drupal module development guide<\/a>. It\u2019s targeted towards version 8\/9 of the platform and later but actually teaches developers to create Drupal modules in general.<\/p>\n<p>This is definitely the most comprehensive source of information you can use to conquer Drupal 8\/9 module development. You\u2019re invited to walk the entire way from getting started and creating a module skeleton to publishing a finished product on drupal.org, plus everything in between. You can also see great examples of Drupal modules on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drupal.org\/project\/examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Examples for Developers <\/a>project page.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Drupal 8\/9 Custom Module Development \u2014 A Beginners Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-8657\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153628\/drupal-custom-module-development-a-beginners-guide-1024x448.png\" alt=\"Custom Drupal module development tutorial for beginners\" width=\"900\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153628\/drupal-custom-module-development-a-beginners-guide-1024x448.png 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153628\/drupal-custom-module-development-a-beginners-guide-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153628\/drupal-custom-module-development-a-beginners-guide-768x336.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A brief <a href=\"https:\/\/www.specbee.com\/blogs\/drupal-9-custom-module-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tutorial <\/a>intended for a beginning Drupal 8\/9 module developer. It has four steps and contains some illustrating graphics. Compare your results with the screenshot the author has provided at the end of the post.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Building Drupal 8\/9 Modules: A Practical Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-8658\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153712\/building-modules-for-drupal-8-and-9-1024x448.png\" alt=\"Tutorial on building custom modules for Drupal 8 and 9\" width=\"900\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153712\/building-modules-for-drupal-8-and-9-1024x448.png 1024w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153712\/building-modules-for-drupal-8-and-9-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/23153712\/building-modules-for-drupal-8-and-9-768x336.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/internetdevels.com\/blog\/building-drupal-8-modules-a-practical-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This one<\/a> closely resembles the official Drupal module development set of tutorials we described above. It\u2019s detailed and well-illustrated, so every aspiring Drupal 8\/9 module developer should find it useful. Here are some of the most challenging sections this Drupal 8\/9 module development tutorial includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Creating a TWIG template<\/li>\n<li>Creating a service<\/li>\n<li>Creating a routing<\/li>\n<li>Creating a controller<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Drupal is a module-based content management framework with many great features already included in the core. If your business requires something unique, though, the best way to have it is to hire an expert Drupal 8\/9 module developer or development agency.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/order-now\/quote.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GetDevDone Drupal development team<\/a> provides all the services related to one of the most popular content management platforms in the world. We are true experts in developing Drupal modules, creating beautiful Drupal themes, performance and security optimization, and other tasks. Let us help your business grow and develop. <a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/contact-us.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact us<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to learn how to develop a Drupal 8\/9 module? Follow one (or all) of the guides below In this post, you will find a collection of online guides on Drupal 8\/9 module development. Pick one that suits you and follow the instructions. It\u2019s true that becoming a competent Drupal&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16356,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[755,739],"tags":[760,806,822,782],"class_list":["post-8639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drupal-development","category-guide","tag-custom-development","tag-drupal","tag-php","tag-plugin-development"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"author_meta":{"display_name":"GetDevDone Team","author_link":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/author\/admin-p2h"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development-300x300.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/drupal-development\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Drupal development<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/guide\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Guide<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Drupal development<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Guide<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/guide\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Custom development<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/guide\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Drupal<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/guide\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">PHP<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/category\/guide\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Plugin development<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Custom development<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Drupal<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">PHP<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Plugin development<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 years ago","modified":"Updated 1 month ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on October 23, 2020","modified":"Updated on March 8, 2026"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on October 23, 2020 5:18 pm","modified":"Updated on March 8, 2026 11:47 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","featured_image_urls":{"thumbnail_723x315":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development-400x315.png","thumbnail_723x315-2x":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development.png","thumbnail_723x315-3x":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development.png","thumbnail_770x510":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development.png","thumbnail_770x510-2x":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development.png","thumbnail_770x510-3x":"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/newblog.psd2html.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/28115659\/Drupal-module-development.png"},"featured_post_color":"#4d67e6","author_avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c67d54df2c6849e5b7af3126c36fe55b10f9d6a14b227d14b35af6c027abb195?s=96&d=mm&r=g","author_position":null,"reading_time":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 5<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">min read<\/span><\/span>","prev_post":{"slug":"the-best-wordpress-developer-tools-to-use-in-2020","name":"The Best WordPress Developer Tools and Resources to Explore in 2024"},"next_post":{"slug":"10-shopify-apps-for-marketing-and-promotions-fuel-up-your-business","name":"10+ Shopify Apps for Marketing and Promotions \u2014 Fuel up Your Business"},"related_posts":["wordpress-cms","tips-for-working-with-wordpress-development-company","figma-to-wordpress-conversion-key-methods"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8639"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24484,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8639\/revisions\/24484"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getdevdone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}