How to manage URL aliases in Drupal?

@hanna 

Managing URL aliases in Drupal is an effective way to ensure that your site has clean, user-friendly URLs, which can improve both usability and search engine optimization (SEO). Here's how you can manage URL aliases in Drupal:

Using the Admin Interface

1. Access URL Aliases: Navigate to the admin interface by going to Configuration > Search and metadata > URL aliases.
2. Add a New Alias: Click on the Add alias button to create a new alias. Specify the system path (e.g., node/1) and the alias you’d like (e.g., /about-us). Save the new alias.
3. Edit or Delete Existing Aliases: In the URL aliases page, you can view the list of existing aliases. To edit or delete an alias, find the alias you want to change, and use the corresponding edit or delete option.

Using Pathauto Module

Pathauto is a popular Drupal module for automatically generating URL aliases based on configurable patterns.

1. Install Pathauto: Ensure that you have the Pathauto module installed and enabled. You also need the Token module, as Pathauto relies on it.
2. Configure URL Patterns: Go to Configuration > Search and metadata > URL aliases > Patterns. Here, you can define patterns for generating automatic aliases. Use tokens to set dynamic values. For example, a pattern for content could be content/[node:title].
3. Bulk Generate Aliases: If you need to create aliases for existing content, use the Bulk generate tab on the URL alias configuration page. Choose which aliases to generate and run the bulk update.

Clean URLs

• Ensure that your Drupal site is set up to use Clean URLs. This setting can be checked and configured under Configuration > Search and metadata > Clean URLs.

SEO and Best Practices

1. SEO Optimization: Create URLs that are descriptive and relevant to the content. Avoid using excessively long or superfluous words in aliases. Stick to consistent URL structures and patterns.
2. Redirection: When you change URLs, use the Redirect module to create 301 redirects from the old URL to the new one. This helps maintain SEO rankings and provides a seamless user experience.

Additional Tips

• Caching: Clear caches after adding or changing aliases to ensure that the changes take effect site-wide.
• Path Access: Ensure proper permissions for users to create or edit URL aliases, typically managed in People > Permissions.

By using the above methods, you can effectively manage URL aliases in Drupal to enhance your website's structure and usability.

@hanna 

Managing URL aliases in Drupal is a crucial task for improving site usability and SEO. Here are detailed steps on how to manage these aliases:

Using the Admin Interface

Access URL Aliases

1. Navigate to the URL Aliases Page: Go to Configuration > Search and metadata > URL aliases.

Add a New Alias

1. Create a New Alias: Click on the Add alias button. Enter the existing system path (e.g., node/1). Specify your desired URL alias (e.g., /about-us). Save to apply changes.

Edit or Delete Existing Aliases

1. Modify or Remove Aliases: In the URL aliases list, locate the alias you want to update. Use the edit or delete option to make changes or remove the alias.

Using the Pathauto Module

Install Pathauto

1. Install Required Modules: Ensure the Pathauto module is installed and enabled. Make sure the Token module is also installed, as Pathauto needs it.

Configure URL Patterns

1. Define Automatic Patterns: Go to Configuration > Search and metadata > URL aliases > Patterns. Set patterns using tokens to automate alias generation. For example, for content: content/[node:title].

Bulk Generate Aliases

1. Generate Aliases for Existing Content: Use the Bulk generate tab on the URL alias configuration page to create aliases. Select the content types and execute the bulk update.

Clean URLs

• Enable Clean URLs: Ensure your Drupal site uses Clean URLs. You can verify and enable this under Configuration > Search and metadata > Clean URLs.

SEO and Best Practices

SEO Optimization

• Create Descriptive URLs: Ensure URLs are concise and relevant to the page content. Avoid unnecessary words and maintain a consistent URL structure.

Redirection

• Manage Old URLs: If URLs change, use the Redirect module to create 301 redirects. This maintains SEO rankings and ensures users are directed correctly.

Additional Tips

• Clear Caches: After making changes, clear your caches to ensure updates are visible across the site.
• Set Permissions: Manage permissions to control who can create or edit URL aliases under People > Permissions.

By effectively managing URL aliases using these methods, you enhance the accessibility, usability, and SEO of your Drupal site.