R.E.A.D: Four steps for selecting the right modules

A presentation at Drupal MIDCamp in March 2015 in Chicago, IL, USA by Michael Miles

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R.E.A.D How to select the right modules https://2015.midcamp.org/node/34 MidCamp 2015 #MidCamp

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Who You Are New to Drupal. Want to improve habits. Session curious.

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Your Role A Drupal developer. A site architect. Functionality decision maker.

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What it is all About How to quickly make smart, informed functionality decisions.

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What we will Cover Steps to decide between a contrib, patched or custom module. Basics of writing/contributing a patch. Basics of writing/contributing a module.

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Michael Miles From: Boston, MA Work: Genuine ..a.k.a Planet Hoth (@WeAreGenuine) Exp: Working with Drupal since 2008. Recently named an Acquia M.V.P Twitter: @mikemiles86 Drupal.org: mikemiles86 All the Places: mikemiles86 mikemiles.com

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R.E.A.D Research what exists. Evaluate the options. Analyze the gap. Determine amount of change.

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Research What Exists

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Isolate Keywords Read documentation, specs, etc… Pay attention to unique nouns and verbs. Ask questions!

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Perform Searches 30k+ Modules available. Favorite search engine “Drupal [keyword]”. Search on Drupal.org

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Utilize the Community Use IRC: #drupal, #drupalsupport. Use Stack Exchange: drupal.stackexchange.com. Social Networks: G+, Facebook, LinkedIn. Even reddit! reddit.com/r/drupal.

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Isolate Keywords. Perform Searches. Utilize Community.

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Evaluate the Options

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Read the Description What does the module do? What does the module not do? What does the module depend on?

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Community Adoption Downloads vs. Installs vs. Age. Activity of issue queue. Issues are good, not bad!

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Maintainer Activity Participate in issue queue? Accepting of feedback? Regular commits and/or releases?

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Read the description. Check community adoption. Check maintainer activity.

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Analyze the Gap

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Download and Test the Module Gain a better understanding. Use a sandbox: simplytest.me. What is offered out of the box?

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Discover Missing Functionality What does it not do? Missing 80%? Missing 20%? Bigger gap = Bigger effort.

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Check for Community Solutions Look at the issue queue. Search “Drupal [module] [functionality]”. Ask questions!

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Download and test the module. Discover missing functionality. Check for comunity solutions.

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Determine Change

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Review the Module Code Does it follow coding standards? Is it extendable? Can you figure out what does what?

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Estimate Effort How much code to rewrite? How much code to add? How much time is there?

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Extend or Alter Adding functionality? Changing functionality? Changing the modules goal?

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Review module code. Estimate effort. Extend or alter?

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Examples

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Scenario #1

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The Requirements WHEN SAVING A FILE ENTITY AND IT IS A JPEG IMAGE THEN THE EXIF META DATA NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED AND MAPPED TO CUSTOM FIELDS AND THESE MAPPINGS NEED TO BE EXPORTABLE USING FEATURES

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Research What Exists

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Isolate Keywords WHEN SAVING A FILE ENTITY AND IT IS A JPEG IMAGE THEN THE EXIF META DATA NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED AND MAPPED TO CUSTOM FIELDS AND THESE MAPPINGS NEED TO BE EXPORTABLE USING FEATURES

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Perform Search We will focus on the keyword “Exif”

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Search Google

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Utilize the Community

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Evaluate the Options Exif custom seems like best fit.

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Read the Module Description

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Look at Community Adoption

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Look at Maintainer Activity

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Analyze the Gap

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Download and Test the Module

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Discover Missing Functionality

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Check for Solutions

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Determine Change

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Review Code

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Estimate Effort Add Features integration. Alter primary key for mappings. Time is minimal.

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Extend or Alter Adding features support. Not changing what module does. Extending.

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Which Path to Choose Use module as is. Patch module. Write own module.

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Patch! Module meets 90% of needs. Small gap, small effort. Extends module.

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What is a Patch? drupal.org/patch. A structured list of changes to files. Reappliable to files. Focused on a single change.

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Creating a Patch

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Clone and branch module git repo.

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Make changes to code.

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Test your changes.

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Generate patch file.

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diff —git a/exif_custom.features.inc b/exif_custom.features.inc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..243bbe2 —- /dev/null +++ b/exif_custom.features.inc @@ -0,0 +1,158 @@ +<?php +/** + * @file + * Features file for the exif_custom module. + / + +/* + * Implements hook_features_api(). + */ +function exif_custom_features_api() { + return array( + ‘exif_custom’ => array( + ‘name’ => t(‘EXIF Custom mappings’), + ‘default_hook’ => ‘exif_custom_export_maps’, + ‘feature_source’ => TRUE, + ‘default_file’ => FEATURES_DEFAULTS_INCLUDED, + ‘file’ => drupal_get_path(‘module’, ‘exif_custom’) . ‘/exif_cus + ), + ); +} +…

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Submitting a Patch

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Create/comment on issue queue.

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Attach your patch. Follow patch naming standards [module][description][issuenumber][commentnumber].patch

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Watch for feedback.

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Wait for merge. (hopefully)

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Giving back to the community

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Scenario #2

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The Requirements WHEN SITE USES WORKBENCH TO MODERATE CONTENT THEN CAN CREATE MULTIPLE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN STATES AND TRANSITIONS ARE EXPORTABLE USING FEATURES WHEN EDITNG A CONTENT REVISION THEN CAN SCHEDULE A TRANSITION AND CAN SELECT DATE FOR FIRST STATE AND CAN SELECT DATE FOR SECOND STATE

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Research What Exists

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Isolate Keywords WHEN SITE USES WORKBENCH TO MODERATE CONTENT THEN CAN CREATE MULTIPLE TRANSITIONS BETWEEN STATES AND TRANSITIONS ARE EXPORTABLE USING FEATURES WHEN EDITNG A CONTENT REVISION THEN CAN SCHEDULE A TRANSITION AND CAN SELECT DATE FOR FIRST STATE AND CAN SELECT DATE FOR SECOND STATE

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Search for Existing Modules We will focus on the keywords “workbench schedule”

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Search Drupal

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Evaluate the Options Look at Scheduler Workbench Integration.

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Read the Module Description

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Look at Community Adoption

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Look at Maintainer Activity

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Analyze the Gap

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Download and Test the Module

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Discover Missing Functionality Unable to create different transitions per type. Unable to select per revision. No features support.

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Determine Change

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Review Code

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Estimate Effort Refactor creating schedules & transitions. Decouple transitions from content types. Add Features integration. Will take time.

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Extend or Alter Changing how transitions/schedules are created. Changing purpose of module. Altering.

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Which path to choose? Use module as is. Patch module. Write own module.

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Build a custom module! Too big/complicated to be a patch. Would alter module goals. No other module exists to support use cases.

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Writing a Module drupal.org/developing/modules. Follow Drupal coding standards. Make use of hooks and APIs. Test your code!

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Contributing a Module Ask yourself: Could others use this? Seriously, is it abstracted enough?

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Name module appropriately. Namespace based on dependencies. Be clear, not clever. Should indicate what module does.

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Provide a detailed description. Explain what module does and does not do. Outline any dependencies. Help fellow R.E.A.Ders.

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Be a good maintainer. Bugs are badges not bruises. Participate in the issue queue. Update, release and improve.

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Let’s review

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Remember to R.E.A.D Research what exists. Evaluate the options. Analyze the gap. Determine amount of change. bit.ly/drupalREAD

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Sprint Sunday 09:00-17:00 The Nerdery, 300 N Elizabeth St., Suite 500C http://2015.midcamp.org/schedule Learn through contribution Contributors of all skill sets and levels are welcome and encouraged

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Feedback https://joind.in/talk/view/13791 Speaker Name: @mikemiles86 #MidCamp

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Thank You! #MidCamp R.E.A.D / Michael Miles