GovCMS is a distribution of a popular software called Drupal. That is, it was built using Drupal Core along with additional features such as customised themes, modules, libraries and installation profiles specific to Australian government website requirements.
Drupal is one of many applications which can help users publish content – so why was it chosen by the Australian Government as the basis for their web management platform? Are there any differences between Drupal and GovCMS – or are they the exact same thing?
Before answering those questions, let’s first take a look at what Drupal is and what it enables users to do.
What is Drupal?
Broadly speaking, Drupal is a free, open-source Digital Experience Platform (DXP). In most cases, DXP’s contain content management system (CMS) capabilities however they also provide additional features which deliver personalised experiences across channels, locations and languages.
The Chosen Software
Drupal is the foundation upon which GovCMS was built. Here are several reasons why it is the Australian Government’s software of choice:
Open source
Drupal is freely available and can be adapted as users see fit.
Cost Effectiveness
Drupal is free to use, download and share. It also comes with thousands of free extensions and modules which can extend a website’s functionality or adjust its appearance.
Transparency and Customisability
Users can see how Drupal’s code works and make changes as they require. They can modify the website, how it operates and its appearance according to their needs. Drupal also makes it easy and efficient for users to build complex things on top of it.
Scalability
Drupal is designed to be highly scalable and is made for heavy workloads. It can handle millions of pages and users without any issues – effectively accommodating a website as it grows and expands.
Security
Drupal was developed with security in mind (as opposed to fast and flashy features). It provides security functions such as two factor authentication, access controls and active security reporting. In addition, Drupal has the ability to add extras (modules) which can boost the security of a user’s website. For example, security packs that include policies that set password conditions (restrictions, expiration periods etc).
Drupal also has a security team consisting of members from all around the world. They are always on watch for vulnerabilities and security glitches in the code.
Reputation
As of writing this article, Drupal is one of the top 3 CMS platforms. It is used by large brands, prestigious educational institutes and overseas government websites. Well known websites built on Drupal include:
With its popularity and widespread use, it wouldn’t be surprising if users were more aware of Drupal in comparison to GovCMS.
Ease of use
Drupal is easy to use for basic website builds and for day-to-day publishing. However, it is noted that the more complex projects may need some specialist knowledge to be employed.
Differences between the GovCMS and Drupal software
From a software perspective, GovCMS is Drupal. Operationally, anyone who can use Drupal should be able to also use GovCMS.
However, there is one stark difference between the two: the boundaries of what users are able to do within the GovCMS environment vs what they can do in Drupal. GovCMS, being built according to Australian Government requirements, needs to adhere to certain security and compliance policies. As such, there are likely to be limitations regarding the types of configurations and extensions that users can apply (particularly in a managed – that is, SaaS - environment). Drupal on the other hand wouldn’t necessarily be beholden to the same restrictions.
Does this mean that government agencies should use Drupal to circumvent any GovCMS limitations? No. Even if government agencies were to use Drupal directly, they’d still need to abide by the same restrictions, and would likely need to configure the software to meet the requirements. It would be far easier to use GovCMS which is already built to the correct specifications.
