The Paragraphs module provides a paragraph field type that works as an entity reference field. Site builder can add this field in required content types and, in field configs, specify which paragraphs should be enabled for content editors.
Think of them as mini content building blocks with fields like titles, links, images, dropdowns, and more.
What is the Drupal Paragraphs module?
A simple 2-column layout builder section is shown in the screenshot.
The biggest difference is how each one gets added and what it controls.
How do Drupal Paragraphs work for content creation?
Paragraphs work best for:
- You create paragraph types with specific fields.
- Editors can add any number of these paragraphs to a content type.
- Paragraphs can even be nested inside other paragraphs.
- Each paragraph type comes with its own template suggestion
(paragraph--machine_name.html.twig) for styling.
This hybrid approach gives editors the flexibility of Layout Builder without losing the structured power of Paragraphs.
Layout Builder lets you:
Benefits of using Paragraphs in Drupal
- Great for pages with consistent design patterns.
- Easy for editors to add and reorder components.
- Clear field-based editing without layout decisions.
- Flexible theming and reusable configurations across the site.
What is the Drupal Layout Builder?
The Layout Builder module is a core Drupal module and can be easily enabled in Drupal. As its name suggests, it is a module that lets site builders design desired layouts for the site. Unlike paragraphs, Layout Builder is used not as a component but as a structure for us to place the components. So if Paragraphs are your content components, Layout Builder is the canvas you arrange them on.
How Layout Builder structures pages in Drupal
Once installed, Paragraphs gives you a paragraph field type. You add this field to any content type, select which paragraph types should be available, and editors can start building content right inside the node edit form.
- Create sections on a page.
- Choose layouts like one-column, two-column, or multi-column.
- Add blocks into each region like custom blocks, views blocks, or other Drupal blocks.
- Assign section-level classes, backgrounds, padding, and spacing.
If you’d like help choosing or implementing the right approach, our Drupal development services team can guide you in the right direction.
Paragraphs are fast to build, quick to edit, and simple to maintain.
Why teams use Layout Builder for flexible page design
- More design freedom on a per-page basis.
- Easy to build landing pages with varied layouts.
- Lets editors preview the full structure before saving.
- Enables advanced use cases like personalization or user-specific layouts.
Paragraphs vs Layout Builder: What are the key differences
It’s an easy way to move toward more flexible layouts without touching existing content types.Paragraphs give developers and site builders the power to create reusable components.
Both modules are solid. Both make Drupal easier for editors. And using them thoughtfully can make your site cleaner, more organized, and visually stronger.
Yes. And it works surprisingly well!
Don’t worry, we’ll break it down for you in this article so you can make the right choice for your next Drupal project.
Editor Experience
- With Paragraphs, editors stay in a structured form view.
- With Layout Builder, editors switch to a visual canvas where they arrange sections and blocks.
Use Layout Builder when:
Component-Driven vs Layout-Driven
- Paragraphs give you consistent building blocks, ideal for pages with predictable layouts.
- Layout Builder gives you the freedom to mix and match layouts, sections, and styles.
When to choose Paragraphs for your Drupal site
In the case of the Layout Builder, you get a separate layout page, in which the site builder can add sections and blocks based on the requirements, as shown in the screenshot below.
- Blogs
- Product pages
- Article pages
- Content types with fixed designs
- Teams that prefer form-based editing
- Sites where consistency is more important than layout variety
This alone can influence which one suits your team better.
When Layout Builder is the better option
Paragraphs can be added directly in the node edit page, as shown in the screenshot.
- You’re building landing pages or highly visual marketing pages.
- Every section has a different design requirement.
- You want editors to preview content placement visually.
- Personalization or conditional layouts are part of your strategy.
- You want more control over spacing, backgrounds, and section-level design.
If your site is already built with Paragraphs, you don’t need to rebuild anything. You can:
Can you use Paragraphs and Layout Builder together?
If you’re wondering how to decide if you should use Paragraphs or Layout Builder for your next Drupal project, here’s the simple way to think about it:
Layout Builder shines when creativity and layout freedom matter.
- Wrap Paragraphs inside custom block types.
- Place those blocks into Layout Builder sections.
- Make minor styling adjustments to ensure everything fits visually.
You work in a dedicated layout interface where you visually arrange and preview the page structure before filling it with content.
How to combine Paragraphs and Layout Builder without rebuilding your site
- Identify paragraph types that work well as reusable blocks.
- Create custom block types mirroring those paragraphs.
- Reference paragraphs inside these blocks.
- Place them in Layout Builder where needed.
Paragraphs and Layout Builder each play an important role when it comes to building a page. The paragraph module is enough to build a site, but using the paragraph module alone might (in most cases) end up making your site look too monotonous and boring. The layout builder is an upgrade to the traditional way of just adding paragraphs.
Final thoughts
Drupal gives you more than one way to build and present content. Paragraphs and Layout Builder are two of the most popular approaches, and both can produce clean, flexible, aesthetically pleasing pages. The trick is knowing when each module makes sense.
- If your design is consistent across pages, use Paragraphs.
- If your pages vary and need visual control, use Layout Builder.
- If you want both consistency and freedom, combine the two.
Now coming to the main part of my blog, Paragraphs vs Layout builder – when to use what.
The Paragraphs module can be installed from drupal.org.
