Site Display is about how content appears to users. Once content is modeled correctly, Drupal gives site builders powerful tools to control where content shows, how it looks, and how it is reused across the site — all without writing code.
This section explains Site Display the practical Drupal way, using real examples of what site builders configure every day.
What Site Display means in Drupal
Site Display answers four core questions:
- Where does content appear on the page?
- How does the same content look in different contexts?
- How do we list content dynamically?
- How do we build flexible page layouts?
Drupal handles this through Blocks, Display Modes, Views, and Layout Builder.
3.1 Controlling display using the Block system
Blocks control where things appear on a page.
What blocks are used for
- Headers, footers, sidebars
- Navigation menus
- Call-to-action sections
- View blocks
Blocks are placed into regions, which are defined by the active theme.
Real example: Sidebar content
You want a newsletter signup form to appear:
- On blog pages
- In the right sidebar
Steps a site builder takes:
- Create a block (or View block)
- Place it in the Sidebar region
- Add visibility rules (Content type = Blog)
Result:
- The block appears only where needed
- No duplication of content
Block visibility rules
Blocks can be shown or hidden based on:
- Path
- Content type
- User role
Rule:
Blocks control where, not what content is
3.2 Display Modes (Different presentations of content)
Display modes control how content looks in different contexts.
Drupal supports:
- View modes (Full, Teaser, Custom)
- Form modes (Default, Custom edit forms)
Real example: Article content
You want:
- Full article page → show everything
- Listing page → show title, image, summary only
Solution:
- Use Full view mode for the node page
- Use Teaser view mode for listings
Each view mode can:
- Show or hide fields
- Change field order
- Change label display
Rule:
Same content, multiple presentations
Display modes beyond nodes
Display modes also apply to:
- Comments
- User profiles
- Taxonomy terms
This keeps display consistent across the site.
3.3 Views: listing and displaying content
Views is the most powerful display tool in Drupal.
Views lets you:
- List content dynamically
- Filter content
- Sort content
- Display content as pages or blocks
Real example: Blog listing page
You want a page that shows:
- All published blog posts
- Sorted by newest first
A site builder configures:
- View of Content
- Filter: Published = Yes
- Filter: Content type = Blog
- Sort: Created date (descending)
- Display: Page
Result:
- Automatically updated listing
- No manual content management
Views displays
A single View can have multiple displays:
- Page display
- Block display
- Attachment display
This allows the same View logic to be reused across the site.
Rule:
Views replace hardcoded lists
Fields vs Rendered Entity in Views
- Fields: Choose exactly which fields to show
- Rendered entity: Uses display modes
Most site builders prefer Rendered entity for consistency.
3.4 Layout Builder: building page layouts
Layout Builder allows site builders to create custom page layouts.
It works at two levels:
- Per content type
- Per individual content item
Real example: Landing pages
You want editors to build landing pages with:
- Hero section
- Text blocks
- Promo blocks
Using Layout Builder:
- Enable Layout Builder on the content type
- Add sections (one-column, two-column)
- Place blocks inside sections
Editors can build layouts without creating new content types.
Layout Builder blocks
You can place:
- Existing blocks
- Inline blocks (created directly in the layout)
- Views blocks
Rule:
Layout Builder controls layout, not content structure
How these tools work together
A typical Drupal page uses:
- Content type → defines structure
- Display mode → controls presentation
- View → controls listing
- Block → controls placement
- Layout Builder → controls layout
Each tool has a clear responsibility.
Common Site Builder mistakes
- Using blocks instead of content
- Creating multiple content types for layout differences
- Hardcoding lists instead of using Views
- Ignoring display modes
Drupal works best when content is reused, not duplicated.
Summary: Site Display the Drupal way
Site Display in Drupal is about flexibility and reuse. Blocks control placement, display modes control presentation, Views control lists, and Layout Builder controls layout. When these tools are used together correctly, site builders can create powerful, flexible websites without writing code.
Understanding Site Display unlocks the full power of Drupal’s content system.