So you’ve taken the path to build your own website (or perhaps you are simply maintaining an existing WordPress website) and you learn about this nifty thing called a plugin. Simply put, a WordPress plugin is an add-on that allows you to extend the features and functionality of your website (either on the front-end or back-end). Sounds great, right? While plugins can certainly be a great tool, they should be used with caution – let’s explore why.
Not All Plugins Are Made Alike
Each and every plugin that you find in the WordPress Plugin Directory has an independent author (or team of authors). While there are some great ones built by professional developers, there are many that are built using out-of-date code or bad practice. As WordPress itself gets maintained and updated over time, so too must the code running each of these plugins – unfortunately, many plugin authors do not maintain their product over the long-haul, leading to issues with your website.
Plugin Conflicts & Bloat
Think of each plugin you install as another layer of clothing.
By the time you’ve added so many layers, you’re left with something that looks less-than-great, isn’t practical, or worse: your layers (plugins) start to clash.
When plugins conflict with one another, it can cause your website to display errors, your layout to break, or potentially lead to the loss of entire sections of your site. It’s also important to note that each plugin you add creates more bloat and can significantly reduce the load times of your WordPress dashboard, if not also your user-facing website.
Is it OK to use plugins at all?
Of course! At JBC, there are several WordPress plugins that we use regularly. Our go-to plugins are all built by reputable developer teams who update their product regularly to ensure compliance and to improve the user experience. If using a plugin is the only solution available to you, we suggest looking for ones that have high star-ratings and are compatible with the current version of WordPress. Rather than hunting through the plugin database blindly, start with a Google search for “Best Social Feed WordPress Plugin” (for example)… you will likely find many “round-up” articles outlining the best options.
Stuck with a WordPress website that’s hard to maintain or need help adding new features to your website? We can help sort through the chaos. Set up a complimentary call today!
