Plus Suite vs Canvas (Experience Builder)
When to Use
When deciding between Plus Suite and Drupal Canvas (Experience Builder) for your project's page building needs.
Fundamental Differences
| Aspect | Plus Suite | Canvas (Experience Builder) |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | PHP/Twig native, enhances Layout Builder | React frontend, ground-up rebuild |
| Foundation | Layout Builder (enhanced) | New rendering engine |
| Data model | Layout Builder sections, blocks, entities | Components, slots, props |
| Frontend | Server-rendered Twig | React client-side rendering |
| Inline editing | Edit+ with CKEditor 5 | Built-in React editor |
| Page builder type | Block-based (sections + blocks) | Component-based |
| Maturity | Early (March 2025) | 1.0 (late 2025), Drupal CMS 2.0 default |
| Backing | Tag1 Consulting (contrib) | Drupal core initiative |
| Compatibility | Drop-in LB replacement | New system, migration needed |
| Plugin system | Drupal PHP plugins | React components + PHP |
Decision
| Factor | Choose Plus Suite | Choose Canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Existing LB investment | Yes — drop-in upgrade | No — requires migration |
| Need LB contrib modules | Yes — compatible | No — different system |
| PHP-only team | Yes — no React required | No — requires React knowledge |
| Greenfield Drupal CMS project | Consider — simpler start | Yes — official direction |
| Maximum future-proofing | Less certain | Yes — core initiative |
| Workspace integration | Yes — Tempstore+ | Under development |
| Custom tooling needs | Yes — pluggable modes/tools | Component-level customization |
| Time to production | Faster for LB users | Learning curve for new paradigm |
Can They Coexist?
Yes, but on different content types. Plus Suite manages content types using Layout Builder, while Canvas manages its own component-based pages. There's no migration path between them.
Common Mistakes
- Do not choose Plus Suite just because it's familiar — evaluate Canvas for new projects.
- Do not choose Canvas just because it's "official" — if you have heavy LB investment, Plus Suite may be more practical.