James Candan is a senior Drupal architect and founder of Stack Elevate, a training initiative dedicated to helping engineering teams build Drupal like real software—using automation and architectural guardrails that prevent technical debt. James advocates for and trains on package-driven development, agentic AI workflows, and pragmatic DevOps practices that make complex systems predictable and maintainable.
With over a decade of experience in enterprise engineering, designing Drupal DevOps ecosystems, he brings a practical, grounded approach to modern Drupal development. James is known for translating deep engineering concepts into accessible mental models that help developers of all backgrounds—especially those coming from Drupal 7-era thinking—level up into confident, full-stack engineers.
He is currently developing the Stack Elevate Fellowship, an advanced engineering program that integrates software architecture, Drupal platform building, DevOps discipline, and emerging AI-assisted engineering practices. His mission is to raise the next generation of Drupal engineers to think clearly, design intentionally, and build with the kind of craftsmanship that makes large platforms stable, scalable, and genuinely enjoyable to work on.