This guide describes how to get started using a Drupal web-site. The guide covers basic topics such as logging in, creating and editing content, and adding a menu item. For more advanced tasks or for technical information on setting up a Drupal site, refer to other sections of the ASU Drupal Handbook or the handbooks on Drupal.org.

What Is Drupal?

Drupal is a content management system. Its goal is to help users compose and present web-site content such as articles, photos, and other content types.

Most of the content on a Drupal-based site (the text of this page, for example) is stored in a database. Text and images are submitted by filling in forms via a web browser. When visitors view a page, Drupal gets the relevant bits of content from the database and composes all of the components of the page in a template. This makes it easy to quickly add or change content, without requiring knowledge of HTML or other web technologies on the part of the person providing the content.

Depending on the configuration of the Drupal site and your user role, you may be allowed to contribute or edit content. Drupal is designed to make this relatively easy. Very little technical knowledge is assumed. Though details may vary with a site's configuration, the basic process involves these steps:

• Log in by clicking the "Sign On" link
• Create content such as articles and stories

This user guide will explain these steps and familiarize you with the basic information you need to use Drupal successfully.

Credit

Thank you to the Drupal.org site for providing the basic text on which this user guide is based. The original handbook can be found at http://drupal.org/node/6261.