Rework core project description

Seems like this just needs some writing activity. Adding the appropriate tag.

Removing the tag, nothing to review yet. I doubt there is a lack of consensus that we should mention our core differentiators.

Looks like the copy on the Drupal project page never did get an update, so we should do this! I've updated the issue summary with some proposed remaining tasks.

What is the intended audience for this text? I would say probably developers and site builders.

Here is a proposed update:

Get started by downloading the official Drupal core files. These official releases come bundled with a variety of modules and themes to give you a starting point to help build your site. Drupal core includes site building tools like fieldable content types and blocks, Views UI, Layout Builder; editor tools like CKEditor 5 and Media. Drupal may be extended by downloading other community-contributed modules and themes. Developers can take advantage of Drupal's extensive API, object-oriented PHP framework, Symfony components, and Composer-based workflow to alter and extend Drupal's functionality. Theme and front-end developers can build templates with Twig templating and add custom CSS and JavaScript assets through Drupal's asset library system.

Diff of drupal project page description

The proposed changes look good to me.
Change of drupal project page description could be delivered.

Wondering if the first sentence (emphasis mine):

Get started by downloading the official Drupal core files.

makes it seem like downloading tar-balls is the way to go, whilst we're (trying to) move away from that.

Get started by installing the official Drupal core.

might be more future-proof?

What about this? Start of with links for those new to Drupal, then move to move specifics. And primarily link to existing documentation.

--
The home of Drupal core software.

Getting started

You can try Drupal online, evaluate Drupal or read the Drupal User Guide.

Install

First, check the system requirements then read how to install Drupal on your local machine.

Future development plans

• View our Strategic Initiatives and Development Roadmap.

Follow core development

• The Drupal Core Blog (RSS feed) announces major initiatives and opportunities to contribute.
• Change records for Drupal core

Having the logo on the page would be nice.

I like the approach #18 as well. +1

Since there is support for the approach I added it to the Issue Summary and added a logo.

As for the audience, I think the most likely visitors are developers but it could be anyone. We should at least point them in the right direction. As I worked on this I realized support and contribute are missing. Added those.

I reviewed the proposed change in #18 and verified all of the links. The grammar and spelling are clear and understandable.

Setting to RTBC.

Looks great; the only concern I have is regarding:

View our Strategic Initiatives and Development Roadmap.

Both of those URLs are redirected. The first redirects to the core blog (which is not only about strategic initiatives) and the second redirects to the strategic initiatives page.
So how about:

View our Strategic Initiatives and Core development news.

The final text will need review from both the product managers and the DA (since it's an important content strategy element).

Just realized the core blog is linked again in the next section, so removing that entirely and just correcting the link to the Strategic Initiatives page.

What happened to the image?

The image seems to have gone.

I think it would be best to format the items the same way, the last two having a list while the others don't have it is a bit disorienting.

Also I would keep a short explanation of Drupal at the begining. Not the one about forums and contact forms that is super outdated.

@Gábor Hojtsy, thanks.

I do not know why the image was deleted. It used to be there. I have uploaded it again..

I removed the items lists and reworded the last sentence a bit.

The quote at the top is the current text on the project page, it is not what is being proposed. The proposal begins with 'The home of Drupal core software.

Agree with Gabor that we should have a short explanation of what Drupal actually is - maybe we just link to https://www.drupal.org/about somehow?

@quietone: yeah I got that, I think we should have a similar length paragraph of intro to Drupal as there is now at the top still. I don't know if we have analytics as to how many people land on this page as a first experience on drupal.org, or one of their first, but a short explanation would be good (and link off to the about section indeed as proposed by @longwave is a good idea).

@Gábor Hojtsy, I am sorry. I didn't read your message correctly.

I updated the proposal with text provided by @Amber Himes Matz. What do you think?

I also had a thought that a followup could be useful to examine merging README.md and the project page so that are in sync.

Thanks everyone, good stuff!

IMO, I think a more fleshed out explicit help/support section would be helpful that is something like…

Need help?

Here are some ways you can get get support…

1. Join Drupal Slack and ask your question in the x channel
2. If you got an error, check the issue queue to see if there’s a solution
3. Hire a Drupal service provider to get you set up
4. If you are using managed Drupal hosting, check with the hosting company on the best way to set up Drupal with their service
5. Find more help options on the support page

Side note... I don't see Slack listed on the support page.

Getting started
You can try Drupal online, evaluate Drupal or read the Drupal User Guide.

Should https://www.drupal.org/project/examples and https://www.drupal.org/project/project_distribution be mentioned under Getting Started or somewhere else?

In regard to #33 and #34. I am not in favor of those suggestions. I think the page should be kept to a bare minimum and full of links to other resources. Hopefully, those resources are on the wiki and thus can more easily be kept up to date than the Drupal project page.

Fair enough. Then we should at least update the support page to be current. I don’t think I had access to edit so I’ll check again.

UPDATE: I don’t have access to edit that page and don’t know who does.

I updated the proposal with the first sentence of README.md.

The home of Drupal core software.

This phrase reminds of a show from the 90s.

Like the change in the issue summary.

Also wonder if this falls under a "plan"

Updated IS remaining tasks.

Thanks for the added intro text. I think the second paragraph dives right into technical details, and the learn more link after that goes back several levels up. I think that learn more link should follow right after the first paragraph to let people learn more about the benefits of Drupal, rather than the technical details outright? Otherwise it sure is a definite improvement, thanks!

@Gábor Hojtsy, Thanks!

I tried moving the 'Learn about' sentence to the last sentence of the first paragraph as well as keeping it as a separate paragraph. Keeping as a separate paragraph seemed better to me.

This is looking pretty good from my point of view, but I will loop in others from the Drupal Association, with more marcomm background.

Agreed this is looking great, and a huge improvement!

One sentence with a few minor concerns/suggestions:

It includes site building tools to build content, design the layout and view content.

1. We re-use both “build” and “content” in this sentence.
2. I wonder if “tools to structure content…” would be better? “Build content” seems either like a drawing app, video editing capabilities, or ChatGPT. 😅 Core lets you define the structure of the content, but creating it is your responsibility.
3. Is “and view content.” adding anything? Isn’t that sort of implied in a website building tool? 🤓 I suspect this is a euphemism for Views, but maybe there’s a more interesting phrase we can use to summarize all that power?

Maybe this is an improvement?

It includes site building tools to structure content and design the layout.

If we’re going to talk about other out-of-the-box features before we discuss extension points, maybe add something about Views (if possible?) and perhaps “import content” or some other reference to Migrate?

If I come up with any concrete proposals, I’ll put them here, but wanted to raise this much now to get input / feedback.

Thanks!
-Derek

I changed the sentence referred to in #43 to "This includes site building tools to structure content, design the layout and create customized views of your data.". I also moved the next sentence to a new paragraph since it was about a different audience, developers.

#43 also asked if we are talking about other out-of-the-box features. I think that should be deferred to a followup issue where we can discuss any and all of the other ideas here. I'd rather not delay updating the product page with the suggested improvements, as long as there are no errors.

- I've reviewed the latest changes in #44
- I've reviewed the entire proposed update for grammar, spelling, and verified all links.
- The image looks to be displaying as expected.

I agree that any further ideas should be in follow-up issues.

Since I had a concern about the read more link, I read this again. I think a bit more adjustment was needed to differentiate what is "more" about Drupal on the external linked page vs. this page (where the core software is). I think this is good to go with this minor adjustment.

RTBC +1 from a DA point of view.

We could consider an addition like:

Contribute

You can join the Drupal community and support the non-profit Drupal Association.

But I don't think this is a blocker, and per the consensus above could be considered in a follow-up as a future change.

I created the followup, #3358351: Improve core project page.