How Goals It 2? An Update on last year’s Website Tech Goals and what’s in store for 2025
Introduction In an article from last January, I listed what I did in 2023 regarding my websites and some goals for 2024. People liked that for some reason, so I am repeating the experience. Does doing the same this year count as a tradition? Probably not, but 2024's goals included: Build a custom Drupal theme for Symfony Station. (The announcement of Drupal Starshot put this on hold. I will get into that in more detail below.) Build a custom Drupal module. (Ditto for the same reason as goal 1.) Explore other Symfony-based CMSs, Platforms In regards to number 3, I moved my Mobile Atom Code site to Grav CMS. Which along with my Drupal experience growth with Symfony Station gets me closer to Symfony competence. This is especially true for my Twig skills. So, one goal achieved. :) I also converted my Mobile Atom Media site from a Drupal distribution to a Drupal site built with Gutenberg. This was slightly related to goal 1. Anyway, here's what I did accomplish in 2024. 2024 Accomplishments The most important thing I did was move from being 50% retired to 85% retired. Getting up when you want is awesome. All in all my progress on last year's tech goals was postponed due to the emergence of Drupal Starshot/CMS. But, I love the idea of the project and where it is going. In fact it was launched today. And I am willing to wait on its stability regarding goals 1 and 2. So, not much on the Drupal front in 2024. However, I did create two new PHP but non-Symfony-related websites with custom themes. I moved away from MailChimp and created The Payload website as the new home for the Symfony Station email newsletter. It was built in WordPress and integrated with the Fediverse. I also branched off most of the protecting democracy content from Symfony Station communiqués to a new project, Battalion. This project helps with my depression and shortens Symfony Station's communiqués. So, there's that win-win. It is also WordPress-based because I wanted it to include a forum. And I'm not quite there with my Drupal skillset yet. Plus I couldn't get the Fediverse integrated into my existing Drupal sites due to some security policies of my hosting company. I continued learning about Drupal and as mentioned above started with Grav CMS. I need to master both going forward to meet my long-term goal. Which is being a Symfony developer for passion projects during my 100% retirement in Europe. Finally, I did liquidate my real-estate assets in 2024 so that will free up some additional time for my 2025 tech goals. And save me a lot of back pain. 2025 Goals All of this year's work will occur March or later, till then I have to work on house projects while the weather here in Florida is tolerable. And of course I will continue to publish Symfony Station and Battalion content on a weekly basis. But, let's get into the goals. 1. Convert Symfony Station to Drupal CMS As soon as automatic updates work with it, I will start on moving Symfony Station to Drupal CMS. I am taking the Drupal CMS workshop at this year's Florida Drupal camp to get a head start. I may or may not wait for Experience Builder to come out in a Drupal CMS update later in 2025. Based on what I have seen so far, I love the recipes aspect of Drupal CMS, especially for content types. Hopefully, you don't have to install the AI one. The integration of the media library into the content section of the admin UI is also fantastic. Being a journalistic enterprise here at Symfony Station the new workflow capability looks promising. I look forward to converting the S.S. calendar into a collection of event entities. Automation beats manual updates. Of course, being able to browse potential modules in the Project Browser prior to adding them is fantastic. And the content accessibility check capability looks wonderful as well. If you can't tell, I am looking forward to this project. Which is rare. 2. Experiment with Mobile Atom Media As I said, my Mobile Atom Media site is a Gutenberg Drupal one and Drupal Gutenberg is still in the beta stage. So I will continue experimenting with it. In any event, this site is for the section of my business that I am retired from, so it's all fun and games from here. I'll try out things I may use with Symfony Station later. And not give a damn if I break anything. 3. Customize the Theme for Mobile Atom Code In my article, Building a Simple Grav CMS Theme with Twig, PHP, and CSS, I shared what I learned in preparation for this goal. It's the part of my business where I still have a few clients, so I will take this fairly seriously. 4. Move Symfony Station's "The Payload" Newsletter to Ghost? So, Matt Mullenweg decided to become a c^nt in 2024 (even though he is in the right with his feud with WP Engine). That and my 85% retired status with only one WordPress-based client remaining has soured me on WordPress. Plus it doesn't align with my long-term go
Introduction
In an article from last January, I listed what I did in 2023 regarding my websites and some goals for 2024. People liked that for some reason, so I am repeating the experience. Does doing the same this year count as a tradition?
Probably not, but 2024's goals included:
- Build a custom Drupal theme for Symfony Station. (The announcement of Drupal Starshot put this on hold. I will get into that in more detail below.)
- Build a custom Drupal module. (Ditto for the same reason as goal 1.)
- Explore other Symfony-based CMSs, Platforms
In regards to number 3, I moved my Mobile Atom Code site to Grav CMS. Which along with my Drupal experience growth with Symfony Station gets me closer to Symfony competence. This is especially true for my Twig skills. So, one goal achieved. :)
I also converted my Mobile Atom Media site from a Drupal distribution to a Drupal site built with Gutenberg. This was slightly related to goal 1.
Anyway, here's what I did accomplish in 2024.
2024 Accomplishments
The most important thing I did was move from being 50% retired to 85% retired. Getting up when you want is awesome.
All in all my progress on last year's tech goals was postponed due to the emergence of Drupal Starshot/CMS. But, I love the idea of the project and where it is going. In fact it was launched today. And I am willing to wait on its stability regarding goals 1 and 2. So, not much on the Drupal front in 2024.
However, I did create two new PHP but non-Symfony-related websites with custom themes.
I moved away from MailChimp and created The Payload website as the new home for the Symfony Station email newsletter. It was built in WordPress and integrated with the Fediverse.
I also branched off most of the protecting democracy content from Symfony Station communiqués to a new project, Battalion. This project helps with my depression and shortens Symfony Station's communiqués. So, there's that win-win. It is also WordPress-based because I wanted it to include a forum. And I'm not quite there with my Drupal skillset yet. Plus I couldn't get the Fediverse integrated into my existing Drupal sites due to some security policies of my hosting company.
I continued learning about Drupal and as mentioned above started with Grav CMS. I need to master both going forward to meet my long-term goal. Which is being a Symfony developer for passion projects during my 100% retirement in Europe.
Finally, I did liquidate my real-estate assets in 2024 so that will free up some additional time for my 2025 tech goals. And save me a lot of back pain.
2025 Goals
All of this year's work will occur March or later, till then I have to work on house projects while the weather here in Florida is tolerable. And of course I will continue to publish Symfony Station and Battalion content on a weekly basis.
But, let's get into the goals.
1. Convert Symfony Station to Drupal CMS
As soon as automatic updates work with it, I will start on moving Symfony Station to Drupal CMS. I am taking the Drupal CMS workshop at this year's Florida Drupal camp to get a head start. I may or may not wait for Experience Builder to come out in a Drupal CMS update later in 2025.
Based on what I have seen so far, I love the recipes aspect of Drupal CMS, especially for content types. Hopefully, you don't have to install the AI one.
The integration of the media library into the content section of the admin UI is also fantastic.
Being a journalistic enterprise here at Symfony Station the new workflow capability looks promising.
I look forward to converting the S.S. calendar into a collection of event entities. Automation beats manual updates.
Of course, being able to browse potential modules in the Project Browser prior to adding them is fantastic.
And the content accessibility check capability looks wonderful as well.
If you can't tell, I am looking forward to this project. Which is rare.
2. Experiment with Mobile Atom Media
As I said, my Mobile Atom Media site is a Gutenberg Drupal one and Drupal Gutenberg is still in the beta stage. So I will continue experimenting with it. In any event, this site is for the section of my business that I am retired from, so it's all fun and games from here. I'll try out things I may use with Symfony Station later. And not give a damn if I break anything.
3. Customize the Theme for Mobile Atom Code
In my article, Building a Simple Grav CMS Theme with Twig, PHP, and CSS, I shared what I learned in preparation for this goal. It's the part of my business where I still have a few clients, so I will take this fairly seriously.
4. Move Symfony Station's "The Payload" Newsletter to Ghost?
So, Matt Mullenweg decided to become a c^nt in 2024 (even though he is in the right with his feud with WP Engine). That and my 85% retired status with only one WordPress-based client remaining has soured me on WordPress. Plus it doesn't align with my long-term goal other than the Gutenberg editor. Plus WP's integration with the Fediverse is so-so. I need full Fediverse functionality if I ever want to grow The Payload and need some income for hosting and promotion expenses.
This has resulted in my strong consideration of Ghost as the new home for The Payload.
I know, I know, it's Node.js-based but it promises better Fediverse integration. And I bought the Javascript for Dummies book as a holiday present to myself. So now I am obligated to relive my coding bootcamp PTSD and read it. And use a small amount of it unfortunately.
5. Move Battalion away from WordPress?
On a similar note, I may move Battalion away from WordPress. This is more likely a 2026 goal. But, we will see. If so, I would prefer using Sulu CMS. Which will require me being a half-ass Symfony developer. And I'm only about 25% along that journey.
Wrapping it up
Like last year a good chunk of my time will continue to be used learning Portuguese as I am still in the process of getting a permanent visa from Portugal. I am also polishing my French for Symfony-related reasons. But as mentioned earlier, the disposal of my real estate assets has opened more time for these website goals. I hope to accomplish more in 2025. And I also dream of being fully retired by 2026 when I can get really get ambitious. Learning as many new things as you want (along with naps) is one of the major benefits of retirement.
This was a rare personal and non-evergreen article on this site. So, thanks for reading it. I hope it inspires you to learn and experiment with new tech for your sites this year. It'll take your mind off all the other horseshit happening in our current timeline.
Keep learning/coding Symfonistas!
Author
Reuben Walker
Founder
Symfony Station
