WordPress is typically one of the best and most popular web development and platform. WordPress powers millions of websites that you surf on the internet today. The reason why it has burst into popularity is comfortable and easy development and maintenance. Even the people with average expertise or a developer.
Just take a complex concept like a Parallax website as an example; which can be easily integrated using premade themes on WordPress.
Now, Ease of use is one thing, but the vast number of plugins make it even more exciting. Just think of any function you want your website to carry out, and WordPress will serve you with multiple plugins for that, making it one of the most accessible platforms out there. The beginner users often ask, ‘what are WordPress plugins and how do they work?’ let us cover that too.
What Are WordPress Plugins?
WordPress plugins are technically a bit of code or piece of software that plugs into your WordPress website to expand its functionality. From customization to SEO and security, plugins can provide you with anything and everything you need to carry out on your WordPress website. WordPress boasts over its 45,000 thousand plus plugins for your every need; if not, there’s always a possibility of developing one independently.
Factors to Look Out When Choosing WordPress Plugins
Keep in mind that there are more than 45,000 plugins in the WordPress plugins repository, which means you will find more than one plugin for your every need. Choosing a wrong and non-secure plugin could bring real heartburns like your website getting hacked. It is always good to set yourself around some rules before installing plugins to your website, to ensure its security and quality interface.
Check out the Average Ratings
It is always good to buy premium plugins for your website, but it is more practical to get free plugins with the same functionality. However, this comes with a cost; you never know how it may affect your website. One obvious and easy way to determine the quality of the plugin is to check average user ratings under the description tab. It is essential to install plugins with an average rating of 4 stars or more. Plugins with lower ratings could be harmful to your website.
Read User Reviews
Check out the user reviews before installing a plugin because these are the first-hand experiences of people who have used the plugin already or currently using them. Read a handful of reviews, and you might be able to find out the problematics area of the plugin, for example, the slow speed of the website after installation. If there are negative reviews more than positive ones, it is essential to avoid such plugins.
Compatibility and Updates
The problem with many free plugins is that they are barely updated and not compatible with the updated versions of WordPress. Check out the consistency in updates before installing a plugin because non-updated plugins are highly non-secure and incompatible. Installing these types of plugins can make your website slower or even get it hacked.
Check If the Plugin Is Actively Installed
Judge the trust factor of a plugin by the number of installations. The higher number of installations for a plugin means that it is doing a great job and is trusted more by the community. These plugins could be trusted and installed on your website since there are very few chances of them bringing harm to your website.
You should keep these critical factors in your mind to ensure the safety and good efficiency of your website.
