Beyond Features - Creating truly reusable functionality without coding

Features claims to bundle configuration into reusable packages. But in reality, a Feature is rarely reusable. Configuration often contains specific information that needs to be changed when used in a new project. In many cases, a Feature is copied and renamed making it difficult for enhancements to be merged with the original.

The maintainer of the Features module has come to the rescue with a new Drupal 8 module called "Config Actions" (currently under development) which combines the functionality of the previous Drupal 7 Features Overrides and Features Template modules but with an easier new approach.

In this session, attendees will learn:

• The benefits (both technical and business) of reusable functionality.
• An overview of the problems confronted by site builders trying to build reusable functionality.
• How to create reusable configuration templates.
• How to override and extend existing configuration on a new site.

Existing experience and/or frustration with the Features module or with Configuration in Drupal 8 is helpful but not required.

(mpotter is the maintainer of the Features and Features Override module. He is also the architect and maintainer of the Open Atrium distribution in Drupal)