USAGE.txt

Same filename and directory in other branches
  1. 10 core/USAGE.txt
  2. 11.x core/USAGE.txt
CONFIGURATION AND FEATURES
--------------------------

Drupal core (what you get when you download and extract a drupal-x.y.tar.gz or
drupal-x.y.zip file from https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal) has what you
need to get started with your website. It includes several modules (extensions
that add functionality) for common website features, such as managing content,
user accounts, image uploading, and search. Core comes with many options that
allow site-specific configuration. In addition to the core modules, there are
thousands of contributed modules (for functionality not included with Drupal
core) available for download.

More about configuration:
 * Install, update, and maintain Drupal:
   See INSTALL.txt and UPDATE.txt in the "core" directory.
 * Learn about how to use Drupal to create your site:
   https://www.drupal.org/documentation
 * Follow best practices:
   https://www.drupal.org/best-practices
 * Download contributed modules to /modules to extend Drupal's functionality:
   https://www.drupal.org/project/project_module
 * See also: "Developing for Drupal" for writing your own modules, below.


INSTALLATION PROFILES
---------------------

Installation profiles define additional steps (such as enabling modules,
defining content types, etc.) that run after the base installation provided
by core when Drupal is first installed. There are two basic installation
profiles provided with Drupal core.

Installation profiles from the Drupal community modify the installation process
to provide a website for a specific use case, such as a CMS for media
publishers, a web-based project tracking tool, or a full-fledged CRM for
non-profit organizations raising money and accepting donations. They can be
distributed as bare installation profiles or as "distributions". Distributions
include Drupal core, the installation profile, and all other required
extensions, such as contributed and custom modules, themes, and third-party
libraries. Bare installation profiles require you to download Drupal Core and
the required extensions separately; place the downloaded profile in the
/profiles directory before you start the installation process.

More about installation profiles and distributions:
 * Read about the difference between installation profiles and distributions:
   https://www.drupal.org/docs/distributions/creating-distributions
 * Download contributed installation profiles and distributions:
   https://www.drupal.org/project/project_distribution
 * Develop your own installation profile or distribution:
   https://www.drupal.org/docs/distributions/creating-distributions

APPEARANCE
----------

In Drupal, the appearance of your site is set by the theme (themes are
extensions that set fonts, colors, and layout). Drupal core comes with several
themes. More themes are available for download, and you can also create your own
custom theme.

More about themes:
 * Download contributed themes to /themes to modify Drupal's appearance:
   https://www.drupal.org/project/project_theme
 * Develop your own theme:
   https://www.drupal.org/docs/theming-drupal


DEVELOPING FOR DRUPAL
---------------------

Drupal contains an extensive API that allows you to add to and modify the
functionality of your site. This means that you should never need to directly
modify the files that come with Drupal core to achieve the behavior you want;
instead, modifications take the form of modules.

When you need new functionality for your Drupal site, search for existing
contributed modules. If you find a module that matches except for a bug or an
additional needed feature, change the module and contribute your improvements
back to the project in the form of a "patch". Create new custom modules only
when nothing existing comes close to what you need.

More about developing:
 * Extending and altering Drupal
   https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/core%21core.api.php/group/extending
 * Search for existing contributed modules:
   https://www.drupal.org/project/project_module
 * Contribute a patch:
   https://www.drupal.org/patch/submit
 * Develop your own module:
   https://www.drupal.org/developing/modules
 * Follow programming best practices:
   https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/standards
 * Refer to the API documentation:
   https://api.drupal.org
 * Learn from documented Drupal API examples:
   https://www.drupal.org/project/examples

File

core/USAGE.txt

View on git.drupalcode.org
View source 
  1. CONFIGURATION AND FEATURES

  2. --------------------------

  3. 

  4. Drupal core (what you get when you download and extract a drupal-x.y.tar.gz or

  5. drupal-x.y.zip file from https://www.drupal.org/project/drupal) has what you

  6. need to get started with your website. It includes several modules (extensions

  7. that add functionality) for common website features, such as managing content,

  8. user accounts, image uploading, and search. Core comes with many options that

  9. allow site-specific configuration. In addition to the core modules, there are

  10. thousands of contributed modules (for functionality not included with Drupal

  11. core) available for download.

  12. 

  13. More about configuration:

  14.  * Install, update, and maintain Drupal:

  15.    See INSTALL.txt and UPDATE.txt in the "core" directory.

  16.  * Learn about how to use Drupal to create your site:

  17.    https://www.drupal.org/documentation

  18.  * Follow best practices:

  19.    https://www.drupal.org/best-practices

  20.  * Download contributed modules to /modules to extend Drupal's functionality:

  21.    https://www.drupal.org/project/project_module

  22.  * See also: "Developing for Drupal" for writing your own modules, below.

  23. 

  24. 

  25. INSTALLATION PROFILES

  26. ---------------------

  27. 

  28. Installation profiles define additional steps (such as enabling modules,

  29. defining content types, etc.) that run after the base installation provided

  30. by core when Drupal is first installed. There are two basic installation

  31. profiles provided with Drupal core.

  32. 

  33. Installation profiles from the Drupal community modify the installation process

  34. to provide a website for a specific use case, such as a CMS for media

  35. publishers, a web-based project tracking tool, or a full-fledged CRM for

  36. non-profit organizations raising money and accepting donations. They can be

  37. distributed as bare installation profiles or as "distributions". Distributions

  38. include Drupal core, the installation profile, and all other required

  39. extensions, such as contributed and custom modules, themes, and third-party

  40. libraries. Bare installation profiles require you to download Drupal Core and

  41. the required extensions separately; place the downloaded profile in the

  42. /profiles directory before you start the installation process.

  43. 

  44. More about installation profiles and distributions:

  45.  * Read about the difference between installation profiles and distributions:

  46.    https://www.drupal.org/docs/distributions/creating-distributions

  47.  * Download contributed installation profiles and distributions:

  48.    https://www.drupal.org/project/project_distribution

  49.  * Develop your own installation profile or distribution:

  50.    https://www.drupal.org/docs/distributions/creating-distributions

  51. 

  52. APPEARANCE

  53. ----------

  54. 

  55. In Drupal, the appearance of your site is set by the theme (themes are

  56. extensions that set fonts, colors, and layout). Drupal core comes with several

  57. themes. More themes are available for download, and you can also create your own

  58. custom theme.

  59. 

  60. More about themes:

  61.  * Download contributed themes to /themes to modify Drupal's appearance:

  62.    https://www.drupal.org/project/project_theme

  63.  * Develop your own theme:

  64.    https://www.drupal.org/docs/theming-drupal

  65. 

  66. 

  67. DEVELOPING FOR DRUPAL

  68. ---------------------

  69. 

  70. Drupal contains an extensive API that allows you to add to and modify the

  71. functionality of your site. This means that you should never need to directly

  72. modify the files that come with Drupal core to achieve the behavior you want;

  73. instead, modifications take the form of modules.

  74. 

  75. When you need new functionality for your Drupal site, search for existing

  76. contributed modules. If you find a module that matches except for a bug or an

  77. additional needed feature, change the module and contribute your improvements

  78. back to the project in the form of a "patch". Create new custom modules only

  79. when nothing existing comes close to what you need.

  80. 

  81. More about developing:

  82.  * Extending and altering Drupal

  83.    https://api.drupal.org/api/drupal/core%21core.api.php/group/extending

  84.  * Search for existing contributed modules:

  85.    https://www.drupal.org/project/project_module

  86.  * Contribute a patch:

  87.    https://www.drupal.org/patch/submit

  88.  * Develop your own module:

  89.    https://www.drupal.org/developing/modules

  90.  * Follow programming best practices:

  91.    https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/standards

  92.  * Refer to the API documentation:

  93.    https://api.drupal.org

  94.  * Learn from documented Drupal API examples:

  95.    https://www.drupal.org/project/examples

Buggy or inaccurate documentation? Please file an issue. Need support? Need help programming? Connect with the Drupal community.