Welcome to Drupal 7 Bible. Like all books in the Bible series, you can expect to find both hands-on tutorials and real-world practical applications, as well as reference and background information that provide a context for what you are learning. This book is a fairly comprehensive resource on the Drupal open-source content management system. By the time you have completed Drupal 7 Bible, you will be well prepared to build and maintain a Drupal-based Web site.

Drupal is in the forefront of one of the most dynamic trends in open-source software: the rise of the open-source content management system (CMS). Historically, a Web content management system was a very expensive investment. Open source has changed all that. A number of options now allow site developers and site owners to tap into the power of building CMS-powered Web sites.

Of all the options that exist in the market today, perhaps none is more powerful and flexible than Drupal. Although the system can be used for simple sites, it is also suitable for highly customized and complex Web sites; indeed, with its open API and support for a variety of databases, it has many of the attributes of a Web applications framework.

If you are a designer looking to build functional Web sites for your clients, Drupal is an excellent tool. If you are a developer looking for a system upon which to develop custom functionality, Drupal can meet your needs. And if you are simply a Web site owner who wants to take control of your Web site, then you need look no further than Drupal.