Utilities

Table of Contents

Chaos tool suite (ctools)

  • A set of APIs and tools to improve the developer experience.
  • Requirement for a lot of modules.
  • Plugins -- tools to make it easy for modules to let other modules implement plugins from.
  • Exportables -- tools to make it easier for modules to have objects that live in database or live in code, such as 'default views'.
  • Modal dialog -- tool to make it simple to put a form in a modal dialog.
  • Additional AJAX commands.
  • A lot lot more.

Token

  • Extends Drupal 7 tokens system by adding some UI components, defining more tokens and other.

jQuery Update

  • Set default jQuery version to at least 1.7 which is safe option for most of sites, newer is better.
  • Override default jQuery version for your admin theme - set 1.5 or even 1.4 (shipped with Drupal core). With newer versions issues in admin UI are possible.

Libraries API

  • Attach all external libraries by Libraries API.
  • Exceptions are not acceptable.

Variable

  • Provides a registry for meta-data about Drupal variables and some extended Variable API and administration interface.
  • Other modules can know about your module's variables and they can be translated, exported, used in views, etc.
  • You'll get automatic variable edit forms, tokens, access control and uninstall for free.
  • Your module's variables will be allowed for Variable Realms being able to get values for each language (Internationalization) or Domain (Variable Domain).
  • Sometimes you'll have it just as dependency for other modules.