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Drupal

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Gatsby

Drupal vs Gatsby

Drupal vs Gatsby: which is right for your project? Drupal is enterprise php cms for complex content architectures. Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

It depends — Drupal and Gatsby serve different use cases well. Choose Drupal for Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control. Choose Gatsby for Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL.

Official docs: Drupal Documentation · Gatsby Documentation

Feature by Feature Comparison

FeatureDrupalGatsby
Ease of Use
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scalability
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

Drupal

Pros

  • Powerful content modeling with custom entity types and fields
  • Enterprise-grade access control and user permissions
  • Built-in multilingual support for global sites
  • Strong security track record used by governments and universities

Cons

  • Steep learning curve — requires developer expertise
  • Fewer themes and modules compared to WordPress
  • Major version upgrades (e.g. Drupal 7→10) are complex migrations
  • Slow without aggressive caching configuration

Gatsby

Pros

  • Rich plugin ecosystem for data sources (CMS, APIs, databases)
  • Unified GraphQL data layer pulls from any source
  • Excellent image optimization with gatsby-plugin-image
  • Pre-renders pages for fast initial load and good SEO

Cons

  • Build times scale poorly with page count (minutes for 10K+ pages)
  • Gatsby Cloud was shut down — hosting is now DIY
  • GraphQL data layer adds complexity to simple projects
  • Declining community momentum — many projects migrating to Astro or Next.js

Platform Details

DetailDrupalGatsby
Language / Stack
PHPJavaScript/TypeScript (React)
Type
traditional cmsssg
Pricing
Free (self-hosted)Free (open-source)
Open Source
YesYes
Best For
Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access controlContent-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL
Export Method
JSON:API module or Views data exportN/A (destination framework)

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose Drupal if…

  • You need large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control
  • Your team is comfortable with PHP
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership

Choose Gatsby if…

  • You need content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via graphql
  • Your team is comfortable with JavaScript/TypeScript (React)
  • You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
  • Budget is a top priority — free (open-source)
  • You want maximum performance with static or server-rendered pages

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between Drupal and Gatsby depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. Drupal is a traditional cms built with PHP, while Gatsby is a ssg built with JavaScript/TypeScript (React). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. If your team includes non-developers who need to publish content frequently, Drupal's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.

From a cost perspective, both platforms are open-source, so the real cost difference is hosting and operational overhead. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP offers a free DrupalGatsby migration tool that preserves your URLs, metadata, and content structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Drupal better than Gatsby?
They're closely matched (20/30 vs 22/30). Drupal is best for Large organizations needing complex content structures and strict access control, while Gatsby excels for Content-rich sites pulling data from multiple sources via GraphQL. Your choice should depend on your team's skills and project requirements.
Can I migrate from Drupal to Gatsby?
Yes. Export your Drupal content via JSON:API module or Views data export, then convert it to Markdown or import into a headless CMS. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.
What are the main differences between Drupal and Gatsby?
Drupal is enterprise php cms for complex content architectures, while Gatsby is react-based ssg with graphql data layer. Key differences: ease of use (Drupal: 2/5, Gatsby: 3/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) vs Free (open-source)), and scalability (Drupal: 4/5, Gatsby: 3/5).
How much does Drupal cost compared to Gatsby?
Drupal: Free (self-hosted). Gatsby: Free (open-source). Both are open-source, so the main cost difference is hosting and infrastructure.
Which is easier to learn, Drupal or Gatsby?
Gatsby is easier to pick up (3/5 vs 2/5). Rich plugin ecosystem for data sources (CMS, APIs, databases). Drupal Steep learning curve — requires developer expertise.
Which performs better, Drupal or Gatsby?
Gatsby has the performance edge (4/5 vs 3/5). As a static site generator, Gatsby pre-renders pages for near-instant load times. Drupal Slow without aggressive caching configuration.

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