How to Choose WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins are useful. But they’ll additionally gradual a website down, invite hackers and even trigger a Google penalty.

These are my prime 5 issues when selecting a WordPress plugin.

5 WordPress Plugin Considerations

1. The plugin is vetted by WordPress.
2. It is standard.
3. Changelog signifies plugin just isn’t deserted.
4. Support participation and suggestions point out a wholesome plugin.
5. It doesn’t overlap with a at the moment put in plugin.

1. The Plugin Is Vetted by WordPress

Some paid plugins don’t have a free model. But most of the most revered plugins have a paid premium model and a free model that’s vetted and included within the official WordPress plugin repository.

The truth {that a} free model has been vetted by WordPress gives assurance (to me) that there’s some type of high quality management.

If a critical problem is found with a free plugin, WordPress will take away the obtain from its repository.

Coding that ends in a vulnerability or a state of abandonment is one potential problem. There are many different the explanation why a plugin could also be eliminated, as outlined within the WordPress Plugin Guidelines.

It’s not an ideal system and doesn’t 100% be certain that the plugin is protected to set up. But it’s typically safer than downloading a plugin that’s not out there by the official WordPress repository.

Premium plugins could bear their very own personal testing. They are typically protected to buy and obtain. However, it could be helpful to analysis the testing and vetting practices earlier than buying.

2. The Plugin Is Popular

I’m not completely satisfied of the knowledge of crowds. However, I do really feel a way of security in realizing {that a} WordPress plugin is standard and vouched for by many customers.

Popularity by itself doesn’t assure {that a} plugin is with out points. In truth, a couple of of the preferred plugins have been the sources of near-catastrophic points or larding up internet pages with useless code.

Nevertheless, recognition can (alongside different components) contribute to an assurance that the plugin is probably going protected and works moderately nicely.

3. Changelog Indicates Regular Updates

Some plugins could also be deserted. Every plugin’s WordPress web page notes when the plugin was final up to date.

A plugin may not be up to date as a result of the operate it performs is comparatively easy. But typically, this can be a signal {that a} plugin has been deserted.

Abandoned plugins ought to normally be averted.

WordPress is continually evolving. Installing a plugin that hasn’t been up to date may trigger conflicts with the present model of WordPress or the model of PHP that your web site runs in.

4. Support Feedback Indicates a Healthy Plugin

Every plugin web page within the WordPress Plugin Repository has a help web page. The help web page could present proof of a plugin that has ongoing points.

Typical points may be that the code conflicts with different plugins. Sometimes the WordPress template might have adjustments to ensure that the plugin to operate.

The help web page will reveal any potential points you could face earlier than discovering them the exhausting manner.

Plugin Doesn’t Overlap With an Installed Plugin

A typical problem I see is when two or extra plugins designed to do comparable issues overlap. This typically occurs with structured knowledge and velocity optimization plugins.

The common result’s that you’ve got extra plugins than you want.

It’s necessary to use as few plugins as obligatory. Overloading your website with plugins can decelerate the server.

Even a plugin designed to velocity up your website could decelerate your website if you’re utilizing too a lot of them on the similar time.

Before you put in a plugin, assume exhausting about how this plugin will remedy your issues. If it doesn’t remedy all of them, will putting in a second or third plugin trigger duplication in features?

How to Choose a WordPress Plugin

These 5 issues aren’t a whole checklist. You might want to take different components together with consumer evaluations, the status of the corporate behind the plugin, whether or not the plugin is over-engineered and slows down the positioning, and so forth into consideration.

Downloading plugins can seem to be a shell sport, the place a pea is positioned underneath a cup after which shuffled round.

Are you making an informed guess or simply guessing?

I hope that what I contemplate necessary components for judging if a WordPress plugin is reliable will assist take among the guesswork out of selecting a reliable WordPress plugin to your website.

Image Credits: Paulo Bobita