Drupal Guide: Directory Structure of Drupal

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Directory Structure of Drupal 7

drupal7/
├── includes/
├── misc/
├── modules/
├── profiles/
├── scripts/
├── sites/
│   ├── all/
│   │   ├── libraries/
│   │   ├── modules/
│   │   └── themes/
│   ├── default/
│   │   ├── files/
│   │   ├── settings.php
│   │   └── default.settings.php
│   └── example.sites.php
├── themes/
├── updates/
├── web.config
├── .htaccess
├── cron.php
├── index.php
├── install.php
├── LICENSE.txt
├── MAINTAINERS.txt
├── README.txt
└── xmlrpc.php

Explanation of Installed Files and Directories

Root Directory

  • index.php: The main entry point for the website. All requests are directed here, and it routes them to the appropriate handler within Drupal.
  • install.php: The script that runs the installation process for Drupal.
  • cron.php: A script to handle periodic tasks, such as clearing caches and running scheduled tasks.
  • .htaccess: A configuration file for Apache web server settings, such as URL rewriting and access restrictions.
  • web.config: A configuration file for IIS (Internet Information Services) web server settings.
  • LICENSE.txt: The GNU General Public License under which Drupal is distributed.
  • MAINTAINERS.txt: A list of people who maintain the Drupal codebase.
  • README.txt: Basic information about the Drupal installation.

Core Directories

  • includes/: Contains essential core files and libraries used by Drupal, including bootstrap files and common functions.
  • misc/: Contains miscellaneous files such as JavaScript, CSS, and images used by the core system.
  • modules/: Contains core modules that provide various features and functionalities out of the box. Contributed and custom modules should not be placed here.
  • profiles/: Contains installation profiles, which are sets of modules and configurations for specific types of Drupal sites.
  • scripts/: Contains scripts for use in managing and maintaining a Drupal site.

Sites Directory

The sites/ directory is where all site-specific files and configurations are stored.

  • all/: This directory is for modules, themes, and libraries that are shared across all sites in a multisite setup.
    • libraries/: Contains third-party libraries used by modules or themes.
    • modules/: Contains contributed and custom modules. This is where you should place any additional modules you download or create.
    • themes/: Contains contributed and custom themes. This is where you should place any additional themes you download or create.
  • default/: This directory is used for the default site configuration. In a single-site setup, this is where you store site-specific files and configurations.
    • files/: Stores uploaded files, such as images and documents.
    • settings.php: The main configuration file for the site, including database connection details.
    • default.settings.php: A template for the settings.php file.
  • example.sites.php: An example file showing how to set up multisite configurations.

Themes Directory

  • themes/: Contains core themes that provide the visual appearance for the site. Contributed and custom themes should not be placed here; instead, they should be placed in sites/all/themes.

Updates Directory

  • updates/: Contains scripts for updating the Drupal core and contributed modules.

Common Customization and Development Locations

  • sites/all/modules/: Place contributed and custom modules here.
  • sites/all/themes/: Place contributed and custom themes here.
  • sites/default/files/: Store uploaded files here.