“Drupal is very technical.” “It's only for developers.” “It's complicated, rigid, closed.”
If you've been in the world of web development for a while, you've probably heard some of these phrases. And if you're evaluating Drupal as a platform for your next project, you may be asking yourself the same questions.
Today, we break down what's behind each myth.
From Drupal in the past to Drupal today
Drupal began as a platform designed to solve complex problems. From its earliest versions, it offered a level of control and customization that few CMSs could match, but it came at a price: to get the most out of it, you had to know what you were doing.
For years, configuring Drupal required knowledge of servers, databases, content architecture, and module management. It wasn't for everyone, and that created a perception that, at the time, made sense.
The problem is that perception stuck, even though Drupal continued to evolve.
“It's only for developers”
Drupal does require technical expertise for complex projects, just as any tool designed to solve problems at that level does. But that doesn't mean that only developers can work with it.
Today, editorial teams manage content in Drupal every day without touching a line of code. And with the arrival of Drupal CMS, the landscape has gone further than many expected: now an editor, designer, or marketing team can build and configure an entire site from scratch, without relying on a developer to take the first step.
What is true is that for projects with specific requirements, complex integrations, or custom architectures, technical support continues to matter. But in those cases, it is not Drupal that requires it: it is the nature of the project.
“It's rigid and closed”
Drupal is open source, meaning its code is public. Anyone can view, modify, and build on it. There is no company behind it controlling what you can or cannot do with the platform.
As for rigidity: Drupal has an ecosystem of thousands of modules contributed by its community, available for free at drupal.org. Need an advanced contact form? There's a module for that. Automated SEO, integration with payment gateways, multilingual management, and editorial workflows with approvals? Also available. The question is rarely whether a solution exists, but rather which one is best suited to the project.
What is sometimes perceived as rigidity is actually structure. And structure, in complex projects, is not an obstacle: it is what sustains them.
“It has no support”
This myth probably comes from confusing Drupal with proprietary software, where support depends on a single company. Drupal works differently.
Behind Drupal is an active community of over a million people worldwide: developers, designers, solution architects, and organizations that actively contribute to the platform. This translates into extensive documentation, maintained modules, discussion forums, global events, and a network of certified companies offering professional support.
When you encounter a problem in Drupal, likely, someone has already solved and documented it. And when they haven't, you have access to the code to solve it yourself or with your team.
Complexity as a strength
Drupal has a real learning curve. There's no point in denying it.
But that curve exists because the platform was designed for projects that require it: sites with complex content architectures, multiple languages, integrations with external systems, high traffic, and strict security requirements. What Drupal offers in return is considerable: solid architecture, total control over content, enterprise-level security, and the flexibility to adapt to almost any need.
Governments, universities, media outlets, and large organizations have been choosing Drupal for years precisely because of this. When requirements are complex, the platform does not fall short.
Complexity is not a flaw, but a reflection of what the platform is capable of doing.
So, is it difficult or not?
It depends on how you approach it.
Drupal with the wrong team, without planning, and without technical expertise can be frustrating. With the right approach, it is one of the most robust tools available for building long-lasting digital products.
And with the arrival of Drupal CMS, the entry point has changed. Today, more people can start working with Drupal without needing a technical team from day one. And those who do have one can focus on the problems that really require their attention.
The question is no longer whether Drupal is difficult. It's what you want to build with it.