Backdrop CMS: What it is, how it differs from Drupal, and everything you need to know

In the world of content-management systems, the arrival of Backdrop CMS has sparked a great deal of interest—especially among Drupal developers and users. You may have come across the expression “what is Backdrop Drupal?” and wondered exactly what Backdrop is, why it emerged, and whether it really makes sense to migrate to it or launch new projects with this option. This article will debunk every myth, clear up your questions, and examine Backdrop CMS in depth.

Many users and developers have run up against the growing complexity Drupal adopted—especially from version 8 onward. Backdrop CMS offers an alternative for anyone who wants to keep enjoying Drupal’s power without so much complexity, particularly if you come from Drupal 7 or you value simple, affordable, and functional solutions. Here, however, we will go a step beyond any manual or surface-level comparison: we will squeeze every available source so you gain a 360-degree view of Backdrop CMS—what it is, how it works, its advantages, how it differs from Drupal, and the keys to adopting it.

What is Backdrop CMS, and why was it created?

Backdrop CMS is an open-source content-management system that began life in 2013 as a fork of Drupal. Project leads Nate Lampton and Jen Lampton, veteran Drupal developers, analyzed where the platform was heading—especially the radical shift in Drupal 8 toward Symfony and an object-oriented architecture—and decided to create an alternative better suited to users and organizations with different needs. In short, Backdrop answers the concern of a sector of the community that felt Drupal was becoming excessively complex and expensive to maintain, especially for small and medium-sized organizations, self-taught developers, or teams with limited resources.

Backdrop CMS was therefore conceived to make it easy to build highly customizable yet straightforward websites, appealing to anyone who likes the Drupal 7 philosophy but wants a modern, maintainable system focused on ease of use and efficiency.

Core goals and philosophy of Backdrop CMS

The Backdrop team laid down several principles to steer platform development, clearly distinguishing it from Drupal 8 and later versions. The goals include:

• Minimize upgrades and guarantee backward compatibility: Backdrop aims to avoid rendering websites obsolete right after an update. Every change should be as non-disruptive as possible, and whenever modifications occur, compatibility with previous versions is preserved.
• Code designed for the many: The system targets both technical and non-technical users, with clear documentation, straightforward implementation, and a learning curve far gentler than Drupal 8+.
• Useful functionality by default: Backdrop core ships only with features most projects actually need. Any removal or major change is discussed and justified openly with the community.
• Minimal technical requirements: Backdrop can run on modest servers using widely supported, easily accessible technology, making shared hosting viable.
• Extensibility and modularity: A robust module system lets you add specific features—via custom or contributed modules—without bloating core.
• Planned, predictable releases: New versions are scheduled in advance, reducing surprises and making life easier for site administrators.
• Commitment to free software: Backdrop is—and will remain—free, open, and license-fee-free, true to open-source philosophy and community collaboration.

Backdrop vs. Drupal: Key differences

Most people discover Backdrop after the sweeping changes introduced in Drupal 8. To understand both options, let’s review the fundamental differences:

• Architecture and complexity: Whereas Drupal 8+ adopted Symfony and a heavily object-oriented approach, Backdrop keeps the simpler procedural structure of Drupal 7, easing the transition and flattening the learning curve.
• Requirements and resource consumption: Drupal 8 needs more memory, CPU, and disk space. A typical Drupal 8 install may have 12,000+ files and require roughly 16 MB in the database. Backdrop is optimized to use far fewer resources—about 1,900 files and a lightweight database (≈ 4.3 MB)—making it feasible on shared hosts.
• Installation process: Backdrop offers a quick, modern installer comparable to Drupal 7, whereas Drupal 8’s is longer and heavier.
• Module compatibility and migration: Porting custom modules from Drupal 7 to Backdrop is far easier than to Drupal 8; Backdrop’s architecture is almost identical to Drupal 7 with minimal API and config changes.
• Modules in core: Backdrop ships with popular modules that were optional in Drupal 7 (Views, Date, Token, CKEditor, Panels), simplifying startup and reducing dependence on contrib modules.
• Usability focus: Backdrop borrows UX ideas from WordPress to make installation, administration, and maintenance straightforward—even without deep technical knowledge.
• Upgrade and maintenance cycle: Backdrop’s release strategy emphasizes predictable, low-disruption updates, unlike the major leaps between Drupal versions.

Main features of Backdrop CMS

Digging into Backdrop’s concrete advantages, several standout features distinguish the platform:

• Straightforward upgrade path from Drupal 7: Existing Drupal 7 sites migrate easily thanks to similar structures and APIs.
• High performance: Backdrop serves pages quickly even on shared hosting, delivering solid speed without pricey servers or complex tuning.
• Intuitive admin and content handling: You can install add-ons, themes, and layouts directly from the admin UI, accelerating customization.
• Responsive by default: All themes and the admin interface work flawlessly on mobiles and tablets.
• Advanced permissions system: Define highly tailored user roles with granular access to each content type or feature.
• Total customization: A robust API and theming system let you tweak virtually every site aspect with minimal code.
• Security first: The Backdrop team responds quickly to threats, keeping the environment secure and reliable.
• Efficient configuration management: Move changes from dev to production easily thanks to a clear, accessible config-management system.
• Free and open source: Backdrop is 100 % libre, with no license costs, benefiting from a dynamic, collaborative community.

Backdrop CMS installation and technical requirements

Backdrop’s low technical barrier makes adoption easy. All you need is:

• PHP 5.6 or higher (tested and compatible with PHP 7 and PHP 8)
• MySQL 5.0.15 or higher (or compatible databases such as MariaDB)
• A common web server (Apache, Nginx, etc.)

No advanced configurations or high-end servers are required, making Backdrop ideal for small businesses, NGOs, educational projects, or freelance developers.

Migration process and module compatibility

Anyone eyeing Backdrop often worries about migrating from Drupal 7 and module compatibility. Here Backdrop shines: in most cases, Drupal 7 modules can be ported with only minor tweaks:

• Update .info files—for example, change the “core” reference to “backdrop.”
• Adjust Drupal-specific functions that were renamed in Backdrop. Example: system_get_date_types in Drupal 7 is now system_get_date_formats in Backdrop.
• Certain APIs, such as cache, now return class instances for storing and retrieving data.

For many modules, these few changes are enough for Backdrop compatibility. You can also toggle Drupal compatibility in settings.php. Key hooks (hook_requirements, hook_schema, hook_update) remain intact. Even theme and layout migration is straightforward, with documented paths and community support. Popular modules like Token and Pathauto already have Backdrop ports in the contrib repo.

User and admin experience

Backdrop CMS commits strongly to ease of use for admins and content editors. The UI feels familiar to Drupal 7 users but with better-organized menus and UX improvements:

• The core module manager is now called Functionality, incorporating enhancements inspired by Drupal’s module_filter.
• Layouts is a hallmark feature: craft and assign custom layouts to different site sections—similar to Panels in Drupal or WordPress—but built in.
• Simpler block and visual-element management: code-generated blocks appear when you edit a specific layout, making it quick and direct to add or configure site components.

All of this reduces learning time and lets less-technical users manage the site with ease.

Community and collaborative development

Backdrop is a community-run project. It follows an Apache-style Project Management Committee (PMC) model, with decisions made openly and transparently. Core and module development happens on GitHub, welcoming contributions from anyone. As of 2020, the project had 130+ core contributors and nearly 100 contributors to contrib modules, covering 700+ extensions (modules, themes, layouts).

The community is especially active in weekly dev, design, and outreach meetings (recorded on YouTube). Backdrop is also a member of the Software Freedom Conservancy, enabling it to operate as a nonprofit initiative without corporate overhead.

Additional support and compatibility

Backdrop CMS not only upgrades sites from Drupal 6 and 7; it also works out of the box with modern local dev tools like DDEV and Lando, and is available on managed hosts such as Pantheon. Popular nonprofit tools like CiviCRM offer direct Backdrop support, widening possibilities for organizations already relying on collaborative member-management solutions.

Development, testing, and deployment

Backdrop’s methodology emphasizes planning, stability, and easy maintenance. Each release is carefully planned and contains improvements and new features validated by the community. Configuration management lets teams work comfortably in dev environments and deploy changes to production without surprises—vital for long-lived projects with small teams.

Practical comparison: Backdrop vs. Drupal (and others)

To see at a glance where Backdrop CMS sits in the ecosystem, here are typical installation and resource-consumption data for several versions:

Backdrop stays close to Drupal 7 in lightness and installation speed while bundling advanced functionality that was contrib in Drupal 7, whereas Drupal 8 enters a heavier, more complex “league” aimed at large projects with robust technical teams.

Advantages and limitations of choosing Backdrop CMS

The main advantages of Backdrop, based on the sources analyzed and real-world experience, include:

• Smoother learning curve for anyone coming from Drupal 7 or seeking a powerful platform without modern complexity.
• Modest installation and technical requirements, ideal for projects with tight budgets or limited resources.
• Extensive customization possibilities thanks to module compatibility and a robust API.
• Affordable migration of existing projects, extending the useful life of Drupal 7 sites without radical overhauls.
• Active community support and security, with planned updates and quick responses to issues.
• Open-source code and zero commercial lock-in: no license fees or contractual obligations—suitable for companies, NGOs, and the public sector alike.