Configuration Management is one of the strongest signals Acquia uses to distinguish a Drupal professional from someone who only works in the UI.
Acquia is not testing whether you remember Drush commands by heart. They are testing whether you understand:
- What configuration is
- How it moves between environments
- What should and should not be in version control
Many wrong answers come from confusing content vs configuration.
What configuration means in Drupal (simple definition)
Configuration is site structure and behavior, not content.
Configuration answers questions like:
- What content types exist
- What fields exist
- How Views are defined
- How blocks are placed
- How menus are structured
Content answers questions like:
- What nodes exist
- What text editors entered
This distinction is essential for the exam.
Configuration vs Content (very common exam trap)
Configuration:
- Content types
- Fields
- Views
- Menus
- Block placement
- Image styles
Content:
- Nodes
- Media items
- Taxonomy terms
- Users
Exam signal:
If the question is about moving structure between environments, the answer is configuration management.
Where configuration lives (filesystem awareness)
Drupal stores configuration as YAML files.
Typical location:
/config/sync
These files represent the entire site configuration state.
Configuration workflow (mental model)
The standard workflow is:
- Make changes in one environment (usually local)
- Export configuration
- Commit YAML files to Git
- Import configuration into another environment
This is the backbone of professional Drupal workflows.
Tools used for configuration management
Common tools:
- Drupal UI
- Drush
Drush is common but not required for exam success.
Exporting configuration
Export means writing configuration to YAML.
Typical command (for recognition):
drush config:export
This updates files in /config/sync.
Importing configuration
Import means applying YAML to a site.
Typical command (for recognition):
drush config:import
This updates the site to match YAML.
Partial vs full configuration export
Full export:
- Entire site configuration
Partial export:
- Selected items only
Exam signal:
Most exam questions assume full export/import.
Configuration splits (advanced awareness)
Configuration Split allows environment-specific configuration.
Examples:
- Dev-only modules
- Local debugging tools
- Production-only settings
Exam signal:
If different environments need different configs, configuration split is the correct answer.
What should be committed to Git
Commit:
- Configuration YAML
- Custom modules
- Custom themes
Do not commit:
- Files directory
- Settings with secrets
Exam signal:
If Git and deployment are mentioned, configuration belongs in version control.
Configuration dependencies
Configuration items depend on each other.
Examples:
- Fields depend on content types
- Views depend on fields
Drupal handles dependency ordering automatically.
Site Builder perspective
Site builders:
- Create configuration via UI
- Export configuration
- Avoid manual YAML edits
Frontend developer perspective
Frontend developers:
- Rarely touch configuration
- Depend on exported config for consistency
Backend developer perspective
Backend developers:
- Review config diffs
- Debug config conflicts
- Use configuration split when needed
Architect perspective
Architects design:
- Environment workflows
- Deployment strategies
- Config governance rules
Configuration management is architectural, not optional.
Common exam traps in Module 2.7
- Treating content as configuration
- Manually recreating changes across environments
- Editing production directly
- Storing secrets in config
Correct answers favor structured workflows.
Real scenario walkthrough
Scenario:
A new field is added in development and must appear in staging and production.
Correct solution:
- Export configuration
- Commit YAML
- Import configuration
Incorrect solution:
- Manually recreate field in each environment
Key exam takeaways
- Configuration defines structure
- Content is data
- YAML represents configuration state
- Git is part of the workflow
- Configuration management enables safe deployments
Practice check
- Moving site structure: configuration management
- Moving content: content migration
- Environment differences: config split
- Version control integration: configuration export