Creating, Configuring and Modifying Views in Drupal 11

How to Add, Edit, and Configure Views in Drupal 11 (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

Views are one of the most powerful features in Drupal. They allow you to display content dynamically—whether it’s blog posts, products, users, or custom data—without writing code.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to add, edit, and configure Views in Drupal 11 with simple, practical steps.

What Are Views in Drupal?

A View is a customizable list of content pulled from your database. You can use it to create:

• Blog listings
• News pages
• Product catalogs
• User directories
• Custom dashboards

With Drupal 11, Views are part of the core—no extra installation needed.

Before You Start

Make sure:

• You have Drupal 11 installed
• You’re logged in as an administrator
• The Views module is enabled (it is by default)

➕ Step 1: How to Add a New View

1. Navigate to Views

Go to:

Structure → Views → Add view

2. Fill in Basic Settings

You’ll see a form with several options:

• View name → e.g., Latest Articles
• Show → Choose content type (e.g., Content, Users, Taxonomy)
• Of type → Select a specific content type (e.g., Article)

3. Configure Page Display

Check:

• ✔ Create a page

Then configure:

• Page title → "Latest Articles"
• Path → /latest-articles
• Display format → Unformatted list / Grid / Table
• Items per page → e.g., 10

4. Save the View

Click Save and edit

You’ve just created your first View!

Step 2: How to Edit a View

Once saved, you’ll be taken to the Views UI editor.

Key Sections Explained

• Displays (left column)
  Page, Block, Feed, etc.
• Format (middle)
  Controls layout (list, grid, table)
• Fields / Filters / Sort Criteria (right)
  Where the real customization happens

Editing Fields

Fields control what content is displayed.

To add a field:

1. Click Add under Fields
2. Search (e.g., Title, Image, Body)
3. Select and click Add and configure fields
4. Adjust settings (label, format, etc.)
5. Click Apply

Example:

• Add Title
• Add Featured Image
• Add Created Date

Adding Filters

Filters control which content appears.

Example: Show only published content

1. Click Add under Filter criteria
2. Select Published (= Yes)
3. Apply

Example: Filter by content type

• Add Content: Type
• Choose Article

Adding Sort Criteria

Sort controls the order of results.

Example: Show newest first

1. Click Add under Sort criteria
2. Select Content: Created date
3. Choose Descending

Changing Display Format

Under Format, you can choose:

• Unformatted list
• Grid
• Table

To customize:

Click Settings next to the format and adjust:

• Number of columns (for grid)
• Table fields
• Styling options

Step 3: Configure Advanced View Settings

Pagination

Control how many items display per page:

• Go to Pager
• Choose:
  • Full pager
  • Mini pager
  • Display all items

Add a Block Display

Want to show your View in a sidebar?

Steps:

1. Click + Add under Displays
2. Select Block
3. Configure fields and filters
4. Save

Then place it:

Structure → Block layout

Add Contextual Filters (Dynamic Content)

Contextual filters let your View change based on the URL.

Example:

Display articles by author dynamically.

1. Add Content: Author (uid) as a contextual filter
2. Configure:
   • When value is not available → Provide default value
   • Choose User ID from logged-in user

Add Exposed Filters (User Search)

Allow users to filter content from the frontend.

Example:

1. Add a filter (e.g., Title)
2. Check Expose this filter to visitors
3. Save

Now users can search or filter results directly.

Add Relationships (Advanced)

Relationships connect related data.

Example:

Show content along with author details:

1. Add relationship → Content: Author
2. Add fields like:
   • Author name
   • Profile picture

Step 4: Save and Test Your View

• Click Save
• Visit your page URL (e.g., /latest-articles)
• Verify:
  • Content displays correctly
  • Filters work
  • Layout looks good

Pro Tips for Drupal 11 Views

• Keep Views lightweight for better performance
• Use caching settings when dealing with large datasets
• Reuse Views by adding multiple displays (Page + Block)
• Use Single Directory Components (SDC) for advanced theming

Common Use Cases

• Blog listing page
• Event calendar
• Product grids
• Search result pages
• Custom admin dashboards

Final Thoughts

Views in Drupal 11 give you complete control over how content is displayed—without coding. Once you understand fields, filters, and displays, you can build almost any layout or data-driven page.

Start simple, experiment with configurations, and gradually explore advanced features like contextual filters and relationships.