Project types
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Get started by downloading the official Drupal core files. These official releases come bundled with a variety of modules and themes to give you a good starting point to help build your site. Drupal core includes basic community features like blogging, forums, and contact forms, and can be easily extended by downloading other contributed modules and themes.
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Installation profiles combine core Drupal, contributed modules, themes, and pre-defined configuration into one download. Installation profiles provide specific site features and functions for a specific purpose or type of site. They make it possible to quickly set up a complex, use-specific site in fewer steps than if installing and configuring elements individually. For example, an installation profile for conferences might automatically install and configure modules for advanced user registration, attendee profiles, ticketing, and a list of speakers and sessions. Once installed, installation profiles can be configured and customized the same as traditionally-built Drupal sites. If there is an installation profile that fits your needs, they can be a great starting point. If not, consider creating one and contributing it to the Drupal community.
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Contributed modules are add-ons for Drupal, allowing you to extend, build, and customize Drupal’s core functionality. The modules you require are dependent on the version of Drupal you have downloaded, for example, modules released for Drupal 6.x will not work for Drupal 7.x. The modules are not part of the core files and therefore they may or may not have optimized code/functionality. However, it does mean you can pick and choose the modules that best suit your needs, allowing you to get the most from your site. If there isn’t a module to solve your needs, then maybe you can create one for the rest of the community to use or if a module does solve your needs please consider joining forces and helping the maintainer. You can also view a full index of modules listing only their titles.
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Themes allow you to change the look and feel of your Drupal site. You can use themes contributed by others or create your own to share with the community. Contributed themes are not part of any official release and may not work correctly. Only use matching versions of themes with Drupal. Themes released for Drupal 6.x will not work for Drupal 7.x. Sub-themes are just like any other theme, with one difference: They inherit the parent theme's resources. A sub-theme can also be a child of another sub-theme, and it can be branched and organized however you see fit. This is what gives sub-themes great potential. You can also view a full index of themes listing only their titles.
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Theme engines control how certain themes interact with Drupal. Most users will want to stick with the default included with Drupal core. These contributed theme engines are not part of any official release and may not work correctly. Only use matching versions of theme engines with Drupal. Theme engines released for Drupal 6.x will not work for Drupal 7.x.
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Drupal uses English by default, but may be translated to many other languages. Translations are now primarily available from http://localize.drupal.org but this list might contain some translations which are not yet migrated. We suggest you look at http://localize.drupal.org first.