Drupal Release: 10.0.0-alpha6

TL;DR

Drupal 10.0.0-alpha6 brings significant updates to prepare for the stable Drupal 10 release. This alpha version removes legacy Internet Explorer support, updates Symfony components to version 6.1, enhances CKEditor 5 functionality, improves security with a core security fix, and removes deprecated code. The release also includes important changes to Quick Edit integration, Composer requirements, and theme improvements in Olivero. This version represents continued progress toward a more modern, secure, and performant Drupal 10.

Highlight of the Release

• Removal of Internet Explorer support, including UC Browser and IE conditional comments
• Security fix with SA-CORE-2022-011 implementation
• Update to Symfony 6.1.2 and PSR/log v3
• Improved CKEditor 5 functionality in modal dialogs
• Customizable RSS Feed block titles
• Refactoring of Quick Edit integration with CKEditor
• Composer 2.3.5+ now required for developing Drupal 10 core
• Improved Olivero theme with text color abstractions and toolbar visibility fixes

Migration Guide

Preparing for Drupal 10

Removed Browser Support

• Internet Explorer support has been completely removed, including UC Browser and IE conditional comments
• IE11 polyfills have been removed
• Review your frontend code for any IE-specific workarounds that may no longer be needed

Composer Requirements

• Drupal 10 core development now requires Composer 2.3.5+
• Composer plugin authorization has been addressed for Composer v2.2
• The allow-plugins configuration is now recommended for additional security

Deprecated Code Removal

• Several deprecated code paths have been removed:
  • Code related to "context from configuration"
  • Deprecated Composer vendor cleanup scripts
  • Deprecated constructors in various core classes
  • Deprecated code in the update system
  • Deprecated code from ModuleHandlerInterface
  • Remnants of Simpletest UI

Framework Updates

• Updated to Symfony 6.1.2
• Updated to PSR/log v3
• PHP 8.2 compatibility improvements (addressing ${} string interpolation deprecation)

Module Changes

• Quick Edit integration has been refactored, with CKEditor-specific code moved to appropriate modules
• Workspaces special casing has been removed from system_requirements()

Theme Updates

• References to Bartik and Seven themes have been removed from tests
• Olivero theme has been enhanced with new CSS custom properties

Upgrade Recommendations

For Alpha Testers

• This is an alpha release (10.0.0-alpha6) and should not be used on production sites
• Install in a development or testing environment only
• Report any bugs or issues to the Drupal issue queue

Preparing for Drupal 10

• Begin updating custom and contributed modules to remove dependencies on deprecated code
• Test your site with this alpha release to identify potential compatibility issues
• Review your frontend code for IE-specific workarounds that can be removed
• Ensure your development environment meets the new requirements, including Composer 2.3.5+
• Update any custom themes to account for the removal of Bartik and Seven themes

Security Considerations

• The release includes security fix SA-CORE-2022-011, making it important for testing environments
• Review the security fixes and ensure your development practices align with the improved security measures

Next Steps

• Continue monitoring the Drupal 10 release cycle for beta releases
• Plan for a thorough testing phase before the stable Drupal 10 release
• Begin preparing documentation and training for your team on the changes in Drupal 10

Bug Fixes

Critical Bug Fixes

• Fixed regression in Drupal 9.4 that broke backward compatibility via incorrect autoloading of \Drupal\Driver\* overrides of core database drivers
• Fixed PSR4 path for database driver
• Fixed decorated services crashing on serialization
• Fixed slow query in titleQuery Vid.php
• Fixed PHP Notice logged when switching "Configuration type" in single configuration export screen

Theme and UI Fixes

• Fixed Views Mini Pager's next button incorrectly labeled "Previous" for screen readers in Olivero
• Fixed theme's post updates within update.php incorrectly referring to themes as "module"
• Fixed "Create content" link within Olivero's "Getting started" page not accounting for base directory

Other Fixes

• Fixed missing backbone-min.js.map
• Fixed profile paths not updating after moving them to other directories
• Fixed handling of NULL for max_filesize_per_file in d6\FieldInstanceSettings::convertSizeUnit
• Fixed duplicate if statement in \Drupal\Core\Composer\Composer::preAutoloadDump
• Fixed incorrect ckeditor5.plugin.media_media schema label

New Features

CKEditor 5 Improvements

• Enhanced CKEditor 5 to work properly in modal dialogs
• Moved Media Library CKEditor 4 integrations from Media into CKEditor module

User Interface Enhancements

• Added ability to customize RSS Feed block titles
• Improved Olivero theme with text color abstractions using custom properties
• Refactored Olivero styles to use new --drupal-displace variables ensuring toolbar/buttons are always visible
• Fixed "Create content" link within Olivero's "Getting started" page to account for base directory

System Improvements

• Added validation for module uninstall during config imports
• Improved MySQL configuration warnings when not set to READ-COMMITTED
• Fixed profile paths updating when moving them to other directories

Security Updates

Security Improvements

• Implemented SA-CORE-2022-011 security fix (by GHaddon, JeroenT, yivanov, Heine, longwave, DamienMcKenna, mlhess, cilefen, xjm, benjifisher)
• Enhanced Composer security by addressing plugin authorization prompts
• Added enforcement of TrustedCallbackInterface in #date_date_callbacks
• Improved error handling for module uninstallation during config imports, preventing potential security issues
• Updated Symfony components to version 6.1.2, incorporating security improvements

Performance Improvements

Performance Optimizations

• Reduced complexity in \Drupal\Core\Site\Settings::initialize
• Fixed slow query in titleQuery Vid.php that was causing performance issues
• Removed unused code paths and deprecated functionality to streamline core operations
• Refactored Olivero styles to use more efficient CSS custom properties for text colors
• Improved handling of REQUEST_TIME in procedural code for better performance

Impact Summary

Drupal 10.0.0-alpha6 represents a significant step toward the stable release of Drupal 10, focusing on modernization, security, and performance improvements. The removal of Internet Explorer support, including UC Browser and IE conditional comments, marks a decisive shift toward modern web standards. This change allows Drupal to shed legacy code and embrace more current technologies.

The update to Symfony 6.1.2 and PSR/log v3 keeps Drupal aligned with its underlying frameworks, ensuring compatibility with modern PHP practices. Security improvements, including the implementation of SA-CORE-2022-011, demonstrate Drupal's ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure CMS.

For developers, this alpha release signals the need to update code that relies on deprecated functionality being removed in Drupal 10. The requirement for Composer 2.3.5+ for core development establishes a more modern foundation for dependency management.

Site builders and content editors will appreciate the improved CKEditor 5 functionality in modal dialogs and the ability to customize RSS Feed block titles. The refactoring of Quick Edit integration with CKEditor provides a more maintainable architecture.

Theme developers will benefit from Olivero theme improvements, including text color abstractions and toolbar visibility fixes. The removal of references to Bartik and Seven themes from tests reinforces the transition to newer default themes.

Overall, this alpha release balances removing technical debt and deprecated code with introducing targeted enhancements that improve the developer and user experience. While not intended for production use, it provides a valuable preview of the direction Drupal 10 is taking toward a more modern, secure, and performant content management system.