Drupal Release: 8.8.0-beta1

TL;DR

Drupal 8.8.0-beta1: Major Architectural Improvements and Stable Media Library

This beta release introduces significant architectural changes including a new path_alias module, workspace improvements, and marks the Media Library as stable. It also deprecates several components like jQuery UI datepicker and SimpleTest in preparation for Drupal 9. Key improvements focus on developer experience, performance, and accessibility while maintaining backward compatibility where possible.

Highlight of the Release

• Media Library module is now stable and production-ready
• New path_alias module for better URL alias handling
• Sub-workspace support for dev → stage → live content workflow
• jQuery UI components being replaced with modern alternatives
• Improved composer package structure with drupal/core-recommended
• Enhanced accessibility in admin toolbar and text format selection
• Better PHP 7.4 compatibility

Migration Guide

Path Alias Module

The new path_alias module is now required. If you have custom code that interacts with path aliases, you'll need to update your dependencies and possibly refactor code that directly accesses the old path alias storage.

// Old way
$alias_storage = \Drupal::service('path.alias_storage');

// New way
$alias_storage = \Drupal::service('path_alias.repository');

jQuery UI Components

Several jQuery UI components are being deprecated:

• jQuery UI datepicker is deprecated - plan to use an alternative solution
• jQuery UI sortable has been replaced with Sortable.js - update your JavaScript accordingly

SimpleTest Removal

SimpleTest module is fully deprecated and prepared for removal in Drupal 9. Migrate your tests to PHPUnit as soon as possible.

Composer Changes

If you're using Composer to manage your Drupal site:

• drupal/core-recommended is now the preferred way to require Drupal core
• New package structure may require updates to your composer.json file

PHPUnit Assertions

The dangerous assertTrue/False() compatibility overrides in PHPUnit tests are deprecated. Update your tests to use more specific assertions.

Upgrade Recommendations

This is a beta release and should be used for testing purposes only, not on production sites. However, testing this beta is highly recommended for:

1. Sites planning to upgrade to Drupal 8.8.0 when it's stable to identify potential issues early
2. Module developers to ensure compatibility with the new path_alias module and other architectural changes
3. Sites using Media functionality to test the now-stable Media Library
4. Sites using Workspaces to explore the new sub-workspace capabilities

Before upgrading to this beta:

• Back up your database and files
• Update all contributed modules to their latest versions
• Test thoroughly in a development environment
• Pay special attention to custom code that interacts with path aliases

When testing, focus on:

• Media Library functionality
• Path alias handling
• Any custom code using deprecated components
• Workspace functionality if applicable

Report any issues to the Drupal issue queue to help ensure a stable final release.

Bug Fixes

Display Mode Configuration Updates

Fixed an issue where display mode configurations weren't getting updated with new fields, ensuring that newly added fields are properly displayed.

File Upload Validation

Fixed a regression in _file_save_upload_single() related to file validation requirements.

Links with Different Target Attributes

Resolved an issue where links with different target attributes were being improperly merged.

Temporary Directory Handling

Fixed an issue where the update system could fail with "temporary://update-cache is not a directory" errors.

Action Entity Reference

Corrected an incorrect reference to action_entity_info in ActionListBuilder.

Blurry Thumbnails in IE11

Addressed and then reverted a fix for blurry/skewed thumbnails in IE11, indicating ongoing work in this area.

Translation Placeholder Usage

Fixed usage of unsupported !title placeholder in Translation.php.

Views Referencing Missing Roles

Fixed an issue where views referencing missing roles would fail during updates.

New Features

Media Library Now Stable

The Media Library module has been marked as stable and is now ready for production use. This provides a user-friendly interface for managing media assets and embedding them in content.

Sub-workspace Support

The Workspaces module now supports creating sub-workspaces, enabling a complete dev → stage → live workflow for content. This powerful feature allows for more complex content staging scenarios.

New Path Alias Module

All code related to path aliases has been moved to a new required "path_alias" module. This architectural change improves maintainability and prepares for future enhancements.

Modern JavaScript Libraries

jQuery UI sortable has been replaced with Sortable.js, providing a more modern and lightweight alternative for drag-and-drop functionality.

Improved Composer Package Structure

The release introduces a new composer package structure with drupal/core-recommended, making dependency management more robust and flexible.

Security Updates

Updated Dependencies for Security

• Updated symfony packages to 3.4.33
• Required typo3/phar-stream-wrapper ^3.1.3 and pear/archive_tar ^1.4.8 for PHP 7.4 support
• Updated to Diactoros LTS version 1.7 instead of 1.8 which is out of security coverage
• Updated composer/composer to ^1.9.1

These updates address security vulnerabilities and ensure compatibility with newer PHP versions.

Performance Improvements

Build Test Improvements

Several improvements to the build testing infrastructure:

• Fixed BuildTestBase->standUpServer to avoid always starting a new server
• Made BuildTestBase->copyCodebase less aggressive in exclusions
• Added access rules for build tests

Library Handling

Library definitions containing only dependencies are now properly validated, improving performance and reducing errors.

Impact Summary

Drupal 8.8.0-beta1 represents a significant step forward in Drupal's evolution, particularly in preparing for Drupal 9 while maintaining backward compatibility where possible. The architectural changes, especially the new path_alias module and workspace improvements, provide a more robust foundation for future development.

The stabilization of Media Library marks an important milestone, delivering a polished media management experience that has been in development for several years. This will significantly improve content editing workflows across Drupal sites.

The continued deprecation of jQuery UI components in favor of modern alternatives shows Drupal's commitment to staying current with web development best practices while maintaining a careful migration path.

For developers, the improved composer package structure and build testing infrastructure enhance the development experience and make dependency management more robust.

Accessibility improvements in the admin toolbar and text format selection demonstrate Drupal's ongoing commitment to inclusive design principles.

Overall, this beta release balances innovation with stability, introducing important new features while carefully managing technical debt and preparing for future evolution.