After one year of development we are ready to release Drupal 6.0 to the world. Thanks to the tireless work of the Drupal community, over 1,600 issues have been resolved during the Drupal 6.0 release cycle. These changes are evident in Drupal 6's major usability improvements, security and maintainability advancements, friendlier installer, and expanded development framework. Further, from bug fix to feature request, these issues follow-through on the Drupal project's continued commitment to deliver flexibility and power to themers and developers.
What's new
The Drupal 6.0 release contains many improvements, some visible from the first click, and others hidden beneath the hood. While the complete list of changes is too lengthy to list here, we have included just a few of the reasons we're so excited about Drupal 6.
- Quick and easy setup
Installing Drupal is now a snap, since the new installer guides you quickly through the process. You can even import translations of the Drupal interface from within the installer and enjoy Drupal in your own language right from the start. You'll be posting content in minutes!
- Drag-and-drop administration
Use drag-and-drop to create and manage your site's menus. Move blocks around to change the content on your pages, or organize books intuitively by dragging pages within an outline. The drag-and-drop interface is available for menu items, forums, taxonomy terms, uploaded files, input formats, profile fields, and more.
- All languages spoken here!
Translate posts to different languages through an easy interface. Have Drupal automatically choose a language for the interface based on a custom URL, a user setting or browser preferences. Take advantage of left-to-right and right-to-left language support directly "out-of-the-box".
- Actions and triggers
Need a custom workflow? Want to send customized e-mails when a post is created or control how posts are published? Automate your processes with just a few clicks using the new and powerful "actions" feature. No programming knowledge required! Actions are available for posts, users, comments and more.
- Sign in with OpenID
OpenID support is built in, making it even easier for your visitors to become a member of your site. OpenID is a free and easy way to use a single digital identity across the internet. With OpenID, login to all your favorite websites and forget about the online paperwork.
- Update status module
Always know when new versions or security fixes are available. The update status module stays in touch with drupal.org to keep you informed of new versions of Drupal, your modules and your themes.
- CSS-only theming
Define regions, dependencies and features with simple theme .info files without writing a line of PHP code, opening the door to slim CSS-only themes.
- Theme developer module
Drupal 6 supports new tools for themers, including the exciting Theme Developer module (a separate download). It's the equivalent of Firebug, but for Drupal theming and will greatly enhance your theming workflow.
- Customize your theme
Want to change how something looks? Almost all themeable content now uses separate template files written in simple HTML, so just copy a template to your theme directory and modify as desired. No coding - no hassle.
- Enhanced preprocessing
Preprocessing functions free themers from maintaining PHP code (the template.php file) in themes. Themes remain just as flexible as before and with improved, comprehensive documentation, are even easier to use.
- A unified approach
Drupal 6 extends its themeing support and automatic translation features to interface elements provided by JavaScript.
- Updated jQuery
Since the release of Drupal 5, Drupal has leveraged the powerful JavaScript library jQuery to deliver its interface enhancements and Ajax interactions. Drupal 6 continues this tradition, using jQuery to provide an even richer user experience. The jQuery version 1.2.3 is included with Drupal 6.
- We've got your back!
Drupal's security team helps you keep your site secure. Working closely with the authors of contributed projects and the core Drupal code committers, coordinated security releases are published as necessary. With the core Update status module and a subscription to the e-mail Security Announcements list, you'll always be among the first to know about new security updates.
- Password strength checking
Get instant feedback on the strength of your password.
- Granular permissions
Role-based permissions are much more refined. Manage your user's privileges with ease and precision.
- PHP format secured
The "PHP input format" is now an "opt-in" core module, rather than being enabled by default. Safer for you.
- Optimized code
Drupal 6 splits most core modules into smaller pieces and only loads what's needed, resulting in less code per page. JavaScript aggregation and block-level caching further improves performance for both authenticated and anonymous users.
- Scalability options
For large sites, Drupal 6 performs properly when running behind a reverse proxy like Squid or Pound.
- A new menu system
Drupal's menu system has been rewritten from scratch, making it much more efficient and powerful.
- Better file handling
Files are keyed to users instead of posts, and new, reusable validation functions are available that check file sizes, extensions and resolution.
- Extended logging
Choose between database or OS-level logging, with the flexibility to monitor your Drupal site events with your own enterprise monitoring tools. Drupal's monitoring tools follow the guidelines in RFC 3164.
- Schema API
Drupal 6's Schema API provides rich support for creating and maintaining data tables, improving compatibility of both core and contributed modules with databases other than MySQL.
- Batch API
Run time-consuming operations with the Batch API. An automatic progress bar monitors the tasks running in the background through multiple HTTP requests.
- Scripting from the command line
Easily run Drupal code from the command line with the new drupal.sh script.
- Better polls
Quickly add and manage poll options.
- Forum improvements
Include polls, quiz forms or any other type of content in forums. Use the more granular permissions to hand out forum moderator rights.
- Easier path alias management
Quickly find path aliases with powerful filter tools.
- E-mail notifications
Send administrators e-mail when users are approved, blocked, or deleted.
- Better anonymous commenting
Drupal 6 remembers the contact details of anonymous posters, automatically filling them in for their next comment.
- New teaser handling
Cut a long story short with new interactive teaser tools. You decide whether to have a teaser or a separate summary for each post.
- Sticky table headers
Always know what you are looking at. Table headings automatically scroll with you as you move up and down the page.
- Custom date formats
Get precise control over how dates are presented with custom date formats.
- Pretty signatures
User signatures are now optional and can be themed.
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