Migrating from Drupal 7 to Backdrop CMS: A Strategic Guide

Drupal 7 has been a mainstay in the CMS world for over a decade, but as of January 5 of 2025, after multiple extensions, it has officially reached end-of-life. 

Despite this, more than half of Drupal users are still using D7, mainly due to the challenges inherent in migrating out of the platform. But with D7 now unsupported and susceptible to bugs and other issues, remaining on it is simply a non-viable option in the long run.

The question, then, for D7 users is "where do we go from here?". The mainstream answer from the Drupal community has been to move to Drupal 10 or 11, as quickly as possible. 

But for many, that's like being told your reliable sedan is being replaced with a spaceship, and that you’ll need a whole new crew to fly it.

Fortunately for everyone still on D7, two core Drupal developers recognized the challenges in migrating from 7 to 8 and beyond, as well as the steep learning curve involved in moving into a modern Drupal environment and created Backdrop CMS as a stepping stone. 

This was one of the main topics on our webinar “Drupal 7 End of Life: Where Do We Go From Here?”, from which you can see a clip below.

Rather than forcing everyone to leap into modern frameworks and object-oriented code, Backdrop aimed to evolve D7 into something future-facing without breaking everything in the process.

“At the outset, we knew that the jump to Drupal 8 was going to be a big cliffhanger for a large chunk of the Drupal community that we had at that point,” says Rob Montero in the webinar.

“Backdrop was created as a fork so that Drupal wouldn’t lose that portion of the community that lacked the resources to make that jump. It was a brave effort that has been great for the community.”

Why Organizations Are Choosing Backdrop CMS

Let’s get one thing straight: Backdrop isn’t for everyone. But if your organization checks one or more of the boxes below, it’s worth serious consideration:

You’ve invested heavily in Drupal 7, and your team knows it well

Backdrop keeps most of D7’s architecture, APIs, and module ecosystem intact—so your developers aren’t starting from scratch.

You have limited development resources

Unlike Drupal 10 or 11, Backdrop doesn’t require Symfony, Composer, or other heavy modern dependencies. That means fewer hoops to jump through, and less need for full-time devops.

Your budget is tight, but your site is still mission-critical

Backdrop is lightweight and designed to run well on low-cost shared hosting. With Backdrop, there’s no need to re-architect your entire stack just to stay secure.

You want to maintain control without vendor lock-in

Unlike a proprietary CMS, Backdrop, like all Drupal platforms, is fully open source, with a community focused on simplicity, usability, and long-term support—not rapid change for its own sake.

Long story short, Backdrop sidesteps many of the issues that are keeping many organizations tied to D7, namely the daunting resources that migrating to 8 and beyond appear to require.

Backdrop CMS vs Drupal 11: What’s the Real Difference?

In short, Backdrop isn’t as powerful or innovative as Drupal’s latest offerings, but for many it will be quite adequate. From a high-level business perspective, the contrast boils down to five key areas of consideration:

In other words, if your team doesn’t live and breathe Composer, Symfony, or React, Backdrop is going to feel a lot more welcoming.

Real-World Fit: Who Should Seriously Consider Backdrop?

Backdrop isn’t just a technical match—it’s a strategic fit for a certain kind of organization. Here are a few typical scenarios where Backdrop is going to be an ideal fit:

Small Higher Ed Institutions & Academic Departments

Smaller universities and community colleges as well as departments within universities often have one part-time IT admin, a D7 site with custom views and fields, and no budget for a full rebuild. Backdrop lets them upgrade with minimal disruption.

Nonprofits with Grant-Funded Sites

Nonprofits with websites built with grant funding often find themselves without the funds to afford a complete rebuild, which is what moving to Drupal 11 entails. For those who can’t afford to rehire developers every time the tech stack changes, Backdrop’s long-term support cycle (with predictable releases) offers peace of mind.

Mid-Sized Companies with Internal Devs Trained on D7

For companies that have been using D7 since forever, moving to a D11 environment will involve extensive retraining for internal devs or replacing personnel altogether. Instead, Backdrop lets companies leverage what they already know—protecting institutional knowledge and reducing onboarding costs.

How Hard Is It to Migrate from Drupal 7 to Backdrop CMS?

The short answer to this question is: a lot easier than jumping to Drupal 11, although not entirely effortless.

Backdrop’s approach to migration is more “lift and shift” than “burn and rebuild.” Here's a simplified roadmap to give you a sense of what's involved:

Step 1: Assess Your Current Site

Questions to answer at the outset include:

• What modules are you using? Are they available in Backdrop?
• Is your theme custom or based on a common starter?
• Do you use Composer or rely on manual updates?

Backdrop has a module compatibility reference you can use to check what’s already ported.

Step 2: Set Up a Backdrop Sandbox

Spin up a local copy of your site and start the migration process in a low-risk environment. The Backdrop Coder Upgrade module helps pull in content and configuration from Drupal 7.

Step 3: Port or Replace Custom Code

Most D7 custom modules will work with minor tweaks. Many Backdrop modules are direct ports from Drupal 7, with improved admin UX and additional functionality.

Step 4: Rebuild or Reuse Your Theme

Backdrop’s theming system is largely unchanged from D7, though improvements in layout and block management can help modernize the experience.

Step 5: Test Thoroughly and Go Live

Run through every key use case—user logins, content creation, forms, etc.—before switching over. Don’t forget to set up backups and basic security patches.

“Backdrop makes the transition as easy as possible,” explains Jesus Olivas in the webinar.

“There are some changes that need to be made to implement it, like some custom code, but it’s the easiest way to keep your site alive in a way that allows your team to use their existing knowledge and that will continue to receive updates and support.”

Potential Limitations to Consider

While Backdrop is powerful in its simplicity, it’s not without tradeoffs. Downsides to opting for Backdrop include:

• Smaller community: Less buzz than Drupal 10/11 means fewer devs with recent Backdrop experience, although D7 devs can often pivot easily.
• Less support for bleeding-edge features: If your site needs headless architecture or React-driven front ends, Backdrop isn’t going to be the right match.
• Module parity isn't 100%: Most of the essentials are covered, but niche modules may need manual porting or replacement.

However, for many organizations, not having to deal with the bleeding edge is part of Backdrop’s appeal.

Strategic Questions to Ask Before You Choose

If you're evaluating your post-D7 options, use these questions to frame your decision:

1. What does your current team already know?

If your devs are comfortable with Drupal 7 and lack the know-how to operate the newer versions of Drupal, Backdrop minimizes training costs and disruption.

2. How complex is your current site?

Backdrop handles 90% of typical content-heavy use cases with ease—but if you're doing complex API integrations or e-commerce, assess carefully.

3. What’s your budget for the next 2–3 years?

Backdrop’s low cost of ownership shines here. Less tech churn means more money for mission-critical features.

4. How long do you want your next CMS to last?

Backdrop offers a clear, stable roadmap with long-term support—perfect for organizations tired of frequent rebuilds.

What Does the Future Hold for Backdrop?

Backdrop isn’t just a stopgap measure—it’s a community-driven, modernizing platform with a long-term vision. It receives regular updates, UX enhancements, and module improvements while preserving the D7 DNA.

Says Jesus Olivas in the webinar, “The target market for Backdrop is different from that of Drupal 11, and so are its goals.”

It’s CMS evolution—not revolution—and for the right organizations, that’s exactly what’s needed.

TL;DR: Is Backdrop CMS Right for You?

In short, if your organization wants a low-risk, high-value path forward without reinventing the wheel, Backdrop CMS is worth serious consideration.

What We Do

Octahedroid helps organizations move smarter—not just faster—when it comes to digital infrastructure.

We specialize in untangling legacy systems, simplifying complex migrations, and building web platforms that are lean, maintainable, and built to last.

If you're staring down the end of Drupal 7 and wondering what’s next, we offer:

• CMS Decision Strategy: We help you assess your real needs—not just what the tech blogs say you should do. If Backdrop CMS fits, we’ll help you prove it. If not, we’ll say so.
• Backdrop Migrations Done Right: We’ve migrated D7 sites big and small. We port what’s worth saving, refactor what’s not, and deliver clean, documented builds your team can actually maintain.
• Developer-Empowering Support: We don’t hoard knowledge. We train your team, document our work, and leave you with a system you control—not one you depend on us for.
• Sane, Sustainable Solutions: No hype, no vendor lock-in, no unnecessary rebuilds. Just platforms that do what you need, and keep doing it—without surprise overhead.

If you're ready to stop duct-taping Drupal 7 and start planning your next chapter, we’re here to help you move forward with confidence. Contact us today and let’s get you set up for a long post-Drupal 7 future.