If you work with Drupal but aren't a developer, you've probably heard words like “node,” “taxonomy,” or “block” at some point and weren't quite sure what they meant. Don't worry, it's more common than it seems.
This glossary is designed for exactly that: so the next time your technical team mentions one of these terms, you'll know what they're talking about, ask better questions, and make more informed decisions about your site.
Node
A node is the basic unit of content in Drupal. Every time you create a page, article, news item, or any other type of content, you are creating a node.
You can think of it as a file: it has a title, a body of text, and, depending on the type of content, it may have other fields such as image, date, or category.
For example, the article you are reading right now would be a node.
Content Type
A content type defines the structure of a node. It is the template that determines what information it will contain and how it will be organized.
Each content type includes specific fields depending on what needs to be displayed. Creating an event, which requires a date and location, is not the same as creating a news item, which may need a headline, cover photo, and body text.
For example, a site may have a content type called “News” (with fields for headline, date, and cover photo) and another type called “Event” (with fields for location, time, and capacity). Although both are nodes, their structure is different because they serve different purposes.
Block
A block is an element that you can place in different areas of the site, such as the header, sidebar, or footer.
Unlike a node, which is main content and has its own page, a block is a component that accompanies or supports that content. It does not usually exist as a separate page, but rather as part of the design.
It can contain text, images, menus, search forms, or automatically generated lists.
For example, the main navigation menu, the search form, or a “Recent Articles” section in the sidebar are blocks. The full article that the block links to, on the other hand, would be a node.
Role and Permission
A role is a group of users with the same level of access to the site. Permissions define exactly what each role can do: view content, create pages, publish, edit, or delete.
For example, the “Editor” role can create and edit content, but cannot change the site settings. The “Administrator” role has full access.
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the system that allows you to classify and organize content within the site.
It works as a set of categories, tags, or themes that help group related information. Unlike content types, which define the structure, taxonomy helps organize what has already been created.
For example, on a blog, you might have a taxonomy called “Categories” with terms such as Technology, Digital Transformation, or E-commerce. Each article can then be classified into one or more categories, making navigation and filtering easier.
Views
Views is a powerful tool that lets you create dynamic content listings without writing a single line of code.
Views define what content gets displayed and under what conditions: by date, content type, category, author, and more. In other words, Views handles the logic of selecting and organizing the information that appears on a page or section of your site.
For example, the “Latest News” section of a site is usually a view that automatically displays the most recent articles. The same goes for an upcoming events listing or a page that groups content by category.
Display Mode
The display mode defines how each piece of content is presented in different contexts on the site.
While the view decides what appears, the display mode decides how it looks: which fields are shown, in what order, and in what format.
Viewing a full article is not the same as viewing it within a list or as a card on the home page. Each of these presentations corresponds to a different display mode.
For example, in a “Latest Articles” view, only the title, an image, and a summary may be displayed, even though the full content has many more fields.
Understanding Drupal means understanding how it organizes information
Drupal can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand how it structures and connects content, everything starts to click. It's less about memorizing technical terms and more about grasping the logic behind the platform.
And when that logic becomes clear, the way you work with your site changes, too. You start planning content more intentionally, structuring it with purpose, and actually taking advantage of what the platform can do. That's the point where Drupal stops being a system you "use" and becomes a tool you truly understand.