7 Sessions to Attend at DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 - a Subjective Overview

DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 has officially started! More than 200 Drupal enthusiasts are gathering at the atmospheric Alte Münze in the heart of Berlin to explore the latest trends and share insights. Our CEO, Grzegorz Bartman, is representing Droptica there. To mark the occasion, we've teamed up with our developers to curate a handpicked list of seven sessions from the event program that are well worth attending during this two-day gathering.

Learnings from performance improvements for an enterprise-scale website

One of the must-see sessions at DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 is Learnings from performance improvements for an enterprise-scale website. Simon Bäse will delve into the challenges of optimizing performance in large-scale, enterprise-level Drupal systems, sharing strategies that have delivered real-world results.

As the speaker points out, the complexity of extensive websites often comes with bottlenecks that can emerge in various parts of the system. During the session, he’ll present practical examples of changes implemented in a corporate-scale client project. Simon will cover both ready-made solutions from the Drupal ecosystem and more demanding approaches that require software architecture modifications.

The speaker will demonstrate how to tackle complex refactoring projects and effectively communicate with clients during these changes. This case study-based presentation will offer hands-on guidance, making it especially valuable for those managing large Drupal projects and for development teams looking to improve their operations.

AI Agents

The future of Drupal with AI? In the session titled AI Agents, Marcus Johansson will introduce the direction in which modern interaction with Drupal is heading. Participants will be introduced to AI Agents, which are small software components that have the potential to revolutionize how we work with Drupal.

Presented during Driesnote at DrupalCon Barcelona, AI Agents enable users to make changes in Drupal using simple natural language commands. For instance, by typing “I want to add a main image option to articles,” Drupal can automatically adjust the configuration.

In the talk, the speaker will explain how this technology works, demonstrate how to set it up and reveal how to write custom agents to tailor Drupal to individual needs. This is a session not to be missed, especially for those who want to stay at the forefront of AI trends and see how AI is already supporting automation and personalization within Drupal.

Drupal Recipes - Basic Information and Usage Examples

Our curated list of sessions at DrupalCamp Berlin wouldn't be complete without Drupal Recipes - Basic Information and Usage Examples. Our CEO, Grzegorz Bartman, will lead this presentation and explore the full potential of recipes in Drupal.

In the session, Grzegorz will focus on the practical applications of Drupal recipes - predefined sets of functionality and configuration that can be implemented at any stage in a website or application’s lifecycle.

The speaker will showcase real-world examples of Drupal recipes and explain how they can simplify complex configurations and accelerate daily workflows in the system. This session is a must-see for developers and website owners looking for effective ways to create new functionalities and optimize deployment processes.

The fine art of auditing Drupal projects

Another highlight of our selection is the session The fine art of auditing Drupal projects. Rouven Volk will provide attendees with insights into the crucial role of auditing Drupal projects.

Audits not only serve to assess a project’s current state but also form the basis for making strategic business decisions. They help identify risks and support sustainable growth. With this in mind, the speaker will share best practices in auditing, presenting a comprehensive approach to examining Drupal configurations, code quality, and security.

The session will cover the use of both external auditing tools (like webpagetest.org), and local analysis, enabling in-depth assessment and identification of potential issues. This presentation will be particularly valuable for team leaders, developers, and consultants looking to learn how audits can enhance performance optimization, project security, and adherence to Drupal’s best practices.

Building a Scalable Multibrand Design System on Drupal: A Case Study from a Fortune 500 Giant

Now something for the design enthusiasts. Building a Scalable Multibrand Design System on Drupal: A Case Study from a Fortune 500 Giant, presented by Olga Tsiamliak, offers attendees a closer look at the challenges and solutions involved in creating a scalable design system for multiple brands within Drupal.

Drawing on the experience with an FMCG Fortune 500 company project, the speaker will demonstrate how to design a solution that enables efficient management of multiple brands within a cohesive system. Through this case study, Olga will illustrate how the team improved B2C experiences for several well-known consumer brands.

This session will be particularly valuable for designers, frontend developers, and system architects in large organizations. Attendees will learn how to build a flexible design system that ensures visual and functional consistency within Drupal while accommodating the unique needs of different brands.

AI with Drupal - How to build useful applications for your clients?

In the next session, we’ll once again focus on artificial intelligence. Christoph Breidert will lead the presentation AI with Drupal - How to build useful applications for your clients?, exploring how to leverage AI in Drupal projects as a unique differentiator for businesses.

The speaker will introduce the fundamentals of Large Language Models (LLMs) to help attendees gain a deeper understanding of the technology behind AI applications. Christoph will then delve into AI applications within Drupal, with a particular focus on custom applications utilizing LLMs, such as an assistant for interacting with dynamically fetched content (Retrieval Augmented Generation - RAG).

This session will be especially valuable for developers and architects interested in practical approaches to building AI applications for clients and looking for inspiration from real-world use cases. Christoph Breidert will also provide tips on idea generation, offering guidance on harnessing AI's potential in everyday work.

Let's try to understand Typed Data, finally…

The cherry on top of our lineup is Piotr Pakulski's session, Let's try to understand Typed Data, finally..., a perfect opportunity for those eager to unravel the mystery of the Typed Data API - a crucial yet often not fully understood tool in the Drupal ecosystem. The speaker will guide participants through the mechanics of this API, revealing how entity data is truly modeled.

This session is particularly recommended for developers and system architects who need practical insights on effectively leveraging the Typed Data API. Attendees will leave with a solid understanding of why this API is so essential when it was introduced, why it’s worth using, and the scenarios in which it proves most effective.

Overview of the DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 program - summary

DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 is the largest technology conference dedicated to Drupal in the DACH region. For two days (November 8-9) attendees have the opportunity to share experiences and gain insights from industry experts. DrupalCamp Berlin is also part of the official Drupal Week Berlin 2024—a full week of Drupal-focused events in Germany's capital.

In our selection, we've highlighted seven sessions that are worth attending. However, the event's agenda offers many more interesting options. We encourage everyone to explore the full schedule to find sessions that match their interests. We especially invite you to attend the talk by Grzegorz Bartman, CEO of our Drupal agency, where he'll present the potential of Drupal recipes and share his experience with their implementation.