{ "uuid": [ { "value": "0fb3ebe0-46c3-4e9c-9961-e62aa512fab3" } ], "langcode": [ { "value": "en" } ], "type": [ { "target_id": "daily_email", "target_type": "node_type", "target_uuid": "8bde1f2f-eef9-4f2d-ae9c-96921f8193d7" } ], "revision_timestamp": [ { "value": "2025-05-11T09:00:36+00:00" } ], "revision_uid": [ { "target_type": "user", "target_uuid": "b8966985-d4b2-42a7-a319-2e94ccfbb849" } ], "revision_log": [], "status": [ { "value": true } ], "uid": [ { "target_type": "user", "target_uuid": "b8966985-d4b2-42a7-a319-2e94ccfbb849" } ], "title": [ { "value": "Maintaining a module used on 35,000 Drupal websites\n" } ], "created": [ { "value": "2023-08-01T00:00:00+00:00" } ], "changed": [ { "value": "2025-05-11T09:00:36+00:00" } ], "promote": [ { "value": false } ], "sticky": [ { "value": false } ], "default_langcode": [ { "value": true } ], "revision_translation_affected": [ { "value": true } ], "path": [ { "alias": "\/daily\/2023\/08\/01\/maintaining-a-module-used-on-35000-drupal-websites", "langcode": "en" } ], "body": [ { "value": "\n

Note: The numbers within this post are taken from my Test-Driven Drupal talk<\/a>, in which I also talk about this.<\/p>\n\n

My first commit to the 7.x-1.x branch of the Override Node Options module was in March 2012. According to Drupal.org, the module was used on 9,212 websites then.<\/p>\n\n

As well as the 7.x-1.x branch, there's the 8.x-2.x branch which supports Drupal 9 and 10, and previously Drupal 8.<\/p>\n\n

The most recent statistics show the module is currently used on 34,981 websites and is consistently around 35,000.<\/p>\n\n

What does that mean?<\/h2>\n\n

The module is considered feature complete, but I'm not ruling out any new additions.<\/p>\n\n

The main thing is ensuring that any changes don't break 35,000 websites!<\/p>\n\n

I do this by relying on the module's automated test suite and ensuring that tests are added for any features or bugs and that the tests are passing before any new release.<\/p>\n\n

This has worked well<\/h2>\n\n

A few years ago, I committed a feature request to both versions. While it didn't include additional tests, I verified the existing functionality worked after resolving a large merge conflict by ensuring the original tests passed.<\/p>\n\n

More recently, a colleague and I refactored the module and split each override into its own class, making adding and maintaining overrides easier.<\/p>\n\n

Because the tests were still passing, we knew our refactor was successful and not causing regressions.<\/p>\n\n

Here's the thing<\/h2>\n\n

Having automated tests and ensuring they're always passing has allowed me to add features and refactor code that I wouldn't have done or had the confidence to do otherwise.<\/p>\n\n

It's great to have a popular module, but on the other hand, I don't want to break 35,000 websites which makes the tests invaluable.<\/p>\n\n ", "format": "full_html", "processed": "\n

Note: The numbers within this post are taken from my Test-Driven Drupal talk<\/a>, in which I also talk about this.<\/p>\n\n

My first commit to the 7.x-1.x branch of the Override Node Options module was in March 2012. According to Drupal.org, the module was used on 9,212 websites then.<\/p>\n\n

As well as the 7.x-1.x branch, there's the 8.x-2.x branch which supports Drupal 9 and 10, and previously Drupal 8.<\/p>\n\n

The most recent statistics show the module is currently used on 34,981 websites and is consistently around 35,000.<\/p>\n\n

What does that mean?<\/h2>\n\n

The module is considered feature complete, but I'm not ruling out any new additions.<\/p>\n\n

The main thing is ensuring that any changes don't break 35,000 websites!<\/p>\n\n

I do this by relying on the module's automated test suite and ensuring that tests are added for any features or bugs and that the tests are passing before any new release.<\/p>\n\n

This has worked well<\/h2>\n\n

A few years ago, I committed a feature request to both versions. While it didn't include additional tests, I verified the existing functionality worked after resolving a large merge conflict by ensuring the original tests passed.<\/p>\n\n

More recently, a colleague and I refactored the module and split each override into its own class, making adding and maintaining overrides easier.<\/p>\n\n

Because the tests were still passing, we knew our refactor was successful and not causing regressions.<\/p>\n\n

Here's the thing<\/h2>\n\n

Having automated tests and ensuring they're always passing has allowed me to add features and refactor code that I wouldn't have done or had the confidence to do otherwise.<\/p>\n\n

It's great to have a popular module, but on the other hand, I don't want to break 35,000 websites which makes the tests invaluable.<\/p>\n\n ", "summary": null } ], "feeds_item": [ { "imported": "1970-01-01T00:33:45+00:00", "guid": null, "hash": "ae450dbfadd5cdf2b2b209019173a073", "target_type": "feeds_feed", "target_uuid": "90c85284-7ca8-4074-9178-97ff8384fe76" } ] }