In 2000, two University of Antwerp students, Dries Buytaert and Hans Snijder, needed an internet connection they could rely on. But permanent internet connections were rare for Antwerp students. So, Dries and Hans set up a wireless bridge between their dorms, sharing Hans’s ADSL modem connection among eight students. It worked, but they thought something was missing: a place to talk to each other.
Behind the name
Dries turned that missing feature into an opportunity. He started a small news site with a web board. He and his friends could post notes about the status of their network, talk about where they were having dinner, share interesting news, and more. They’d created a small content framework.
For a while, the software they’d built was nameless. But when Dries graduated and left his dorm, they needed a way to stay in touch, so they decided to put the internal site online. While looking for the right domain name, Dries considered “dorp.org.” “Dorp” is the Dutch word for “village,” so it fit the small community they’d started.
Drupal Commerce is open-source eCommerce software that augments the content management system Drupal. Within the context of a Drupal-based site, Drupal Commerce presents products for purchase; walks customers through the checkout process; keeps track of invoices, receipts, orders, and payments; facilitates shipping and payment; and performs other functions needed by online merchants.
Drupal Commerce was created by Commerce Guys under the leadership of Ryan Szrama, the author of shopping-cart software Übercart. It was originally born as a rearchitecture project of Übercart, and was called “Übercore” until January 14, 2010, when Mr. Szrama renamed it “Drupal Commerce”. Version 1.0 was released on August 23, 2011.
Drupal Commerce has had steady growth since its introduction. Over 53,000 active sites use it, including U.K. postal service Royal Mail, international language school Eurocentres, McDonald’s (France), and hundreds of consumer brands. The Drupal Commerce market has also supported publication of several instructional books and video courses
Like Drupal itself, Drupal Commerce can be extended through the use of modules that add functionality and themes that define visual presentation. There are more than 300 Drupal Commerce-specific modules available for free in such categories as payment gateways, shipping service providers, and administrative and development tools.
Drupal is content management software. It’s used to make many of the websites and applications you use every day. Drupal has great standard features, like easy content authoring, reliable performance, and excellent security. But what sets it apart is its flexibility; modularity is one of its core principles. Its tools help you build the versatile, structured content that dynamic web experiences need.
It’s also a great choice for creating integrated digital frameworks. You can extend it with any one, or many, of thousands of add-ons. Modules expand Drupal’s functionality. Themes let you customize your content’s presentation. Distributions are packaged Drupal bundles you can use as starter-kits. Mix and match these components to enhance Drupal’s core abilities. Or, integrate Drupal with external services and other applications in your infrastructure. No other content management software is this powerful and scalable.
The Drupal project is open source software. Anyone can download, use, work on, and share it with others. It’s built on principles like collaboration, globalism, and innovation. It’s distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). There are no licensing fees, ever. Drupal will always be free.
Drupal 8
Drupal 8 is the biggest update in Drupal’s history. Creating content is easier. Every built-in theme is responsively designed. It’s available in 100 languages, and its integration tools make it a great hub for complex ecosystems. More than 4,500 people, companies, and organizations contributed their time, experience, and imagination. The result? Over 200 new and improved features. Find out what Drupal 8 can do for you.
Who uses Drupal
Drupal is the platform the United States, London, France, and more use to communicate with citizens. It’s the framework media companies like BBC, NBC, and MTV UK rely on to inform and entertain the world. It’s part of how organizations and universities like Amnesty International and the University of Oxford work to make the world a better place. Read Drupal case studies or check out a list of organizations with profiles on Drupal.org.
Made possible by a global community
The Drupal community is one of the largest open source communities in the world. We’re more than 1,000,000 passionate developers, designers, trainers, strategists, coordinators, editors, and sponsors working together. We build Drupal, provide support, create documentation, share networking opportunities, and more. Our shared commitment to the open source spirit pushes the Drupal project forward. New members are always welcome.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drupal_Commerce
https://www.drupal.org/
