Can you identify a similarity between WordPress plugins and medicines? Both can have side effects. You must be very careful in choosing WordPress plugins just the way doctors consider what would be the best medicine for patients albeit the side effects. Besides exercising with caution in choosing the right plugins, you should also act with restraint in deciding on the number of plugins to use. It is true that the powers of WordPress originate from plugins, but it is essential to decide how much power you need. You cannot try to become all-powerful just for the sake of it and then get crushed under its enormity. Being judicious in evaluating what would be optimal power helps to avoid the problems arising from excess power. You must know how to strike the right balance between functionality and simplicity when deciding on the quality and quantity of plugins.
It is possible to add endless features to your WordPress website by using plugins that would enhance its functionalities and enable you to perform some action just in the way you want. Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that plugins allow customized functionalities that boost your website performance, enhances SEO and provides better returns for your business. If you look at the evolution of WordPress plugins, you will discover that most of the popular functionalities built into WordPress today were all plugins at the beginning that gradually became a part of the WordPress core.
To use WordPress plugins safely, you should know about some of the best practices in using it. By reading this article, you would get a clear idea of what you have to keep in mind when using plugins that could help to avoid problems in future.
Evaluate the source of procuring plugins
You would find 25,000 plugins on WordPress.org, and there are several thousand available from the open source. The source of the plugin acquires a lot of importance because being an open source item all types of contributors join in the fray. Anyone who develops a plugin can offer it to you. Checking of plugin quality before selecting it, though necessary, is not feasible. The only way you could vouch for quality plugins is by obtaining it from reliable and reputed sources like the WordPress repository. Another way is to source it from vetted developers well known for serving companies engaged in web design Miami.
A vetted source should have the solid backing of users and earn a four-star rating from the WordPress community. The plugin developer’s website should be updated and current and assure good support. Besides, the reviews of the plugin should not have any adverse comments. Fulfilling these conditions would ensure that you avoid the pitfalls of wrong selection.
Check plugin compatibility and update it
Security of the website must be topmost in your mind when looking for plugins. Another aspect that you must look into is that the plugin must be compatible with the version of WordPress you are using. To make both ends meet, ensure that you use an updated plugin. Updated plugins ensure that the website’s security is intact and it maintains high functionality. Outdated plugins are dangerous because it exposes the site to security threats. Keep a close track on the plugins to ensure that it remains updated, and if you find any outdated plugin not updated for almost a year, it must not figure in your list. You can automate the update schedule of WordPress plugins by using appropriate tools like Easy Update Manager.
Unused plugin deactivation is a must
All plugins loaded on the website use the resources although in small quantities. To ensure that plugins not used for a long time do not strain the resources it is always a good idea to deactivate it. The WordPress Database Rest plugin is such a plugin that you would use once in a while when resetting the database. You can keep it deactivated at other times. Make a list of active plugins that you use frequently and deactivate the remaining that has occasional.
Remember that although you might deactivate some plugins, you must keep it updated or else it would create problems for you when you would use it. In case some plugins would never have any use, better get rid of it.
Plugin code is important
WordPress is user-friendly because users do not need to know codes for using it. However, to enhance the functionalities, you need codes that the plugins take care of. Therefore, the code in the plugin determines its effectiveness, and you must ensure that the coding of the plugin is perfect. Also, plugins have to be the least resource intensive. If plugins consume too much resource, it could be detrimental to the website performance.
Restrict the number of plugins
Avoid overloading the website with too many plugins because it could create impediments to website performance. Too many plugins could increase the rate of conflicts between plugins that could become quite challenging for developers. Keeping an eye on the number of the plugins used on the website is the responsibility of developers as well as users who tend to go overboard with plugins.
Quality of plugins rule supreme
Never should you use any low-quality plugins. The reason is that every plugin you install would leave some footprint on the website. Even if you detect poor quality plugins later and remove it, the lingering effects could be a matter of concern. This could happen especially with poorly coded plugins. Remember that plugins are nothing but some special functionality that you have to apply to the website after evaluating its impact correctly.
To make your search for good plugins easy, you could refer to some well-known online sources that have earned the confidence of users. While the WordPress repository is the first choice, you could also look at WPMU DEV, CodeCanyon, and WP Explorer.
The world of WordPress plugins is just too big, and you should know how to navigate through it to lay your hands on the most needed ones.
Guest article written by: Stephen Edward is a WordPress professional who has created path-breaking plugins for use in web design Miami. He is a technology freak and is always in search of creative applications that help users to break new grounds with their websites. Stephen is a football addict and is highly excited about the upcoming World Cup Soccer tournament.