A Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins are a crucial aspect of building WordPress websites as they allow users to add additional features without touching a single line of code. Plugins help make WordPress the easy-to-use, flexible, and feature-rich content management system it’s known today.

What Is a WordPress Plugin?

A WordPress plugin is a software that integrates with your WordPress site to enhance or add new features, enabling the creation of diverse websites such as online stores, portfolios, and directories.

Think of the WordPress core software as a brand-new smartphone with factory settings. It’s usable, but most users install additional apps to enhance the day-to-day use of their device and overall functionality. These apps are free to download, install, and uninstall whenever you like.

WordPress plugins work similarly. Over 58,000 plugins are available to download from the WordPress plugin directory. Whatever your site’s needs are, there’s most likely a plugin to achieve them.

How to Add WordPress Plugins to Your Website?

There are various ways to install a WordPress plugin, depending on where you got it from.

Automatic method:
Manual method:

How to Update a WordPress Plugin?

It’s essential to keep your WordPress site up to date. This includes updating to the latest version of WordPress as well as refreshing your themes and plugins.

Updating WordPress plugins isn’t just about getting to add new features. It’s also one of the primary ways to maintain your website’s security. Previous versions of a WordPress plugin may have vulnerabilities that are addressed and fixed in later versions.

WordPress gives its users extensive flexibility when it comes to updating plugins. Users can decide which plugins should update automatically.

How to Remove or Deactivate WordPress Plugins?

There will be times when you want to uninstall a plugin or two – some free WordPress plugins might not be updated regularly, giving your site security risks, for example. Others might slow down your site, or you simply don’t think they’re needed on your site anymore.

There are two ways you can remove WordPress plugins – automatically and manually.

How Do WordPress Plugins Affect the Website Performance?

Using WordPress plugins does put an additional strain on your web hosting resources to some degree. Thus, many people assume that installing too many plugins will cause their site to slow down.

However, in reality, a WordPress plugin’s quality and efficiency have a larger impact on site performance than the number of plugins you install.

What Types of WordPress Plugins Are There?

Now that you know what WordPress plugins are and how they work, it’s time to learn what types of plugins are available. Let’s overview some of the plugins categories, what some of the best WordPress plugins are and find out how each can be beneficial for your site.

Where Can I Get WordPress Plugins?

It’s recommended that you get both premium and free plugins from trusted sources. Most trusted sources have security measures in place and quality control over the plugins they have in their library.

Besides the WordPress plugin directory, here are some third-party sources that allow you to get both free and premium plugins with minimal risk involved:

CodeCanyon
PremiumWP
Envato Elements

However, be wary of third-party sources that offer pirated premium plugins that allow users to download paid plugins for free. While it might be tempting to get premium plugins without spending a dime, they’re not worth the risks.

Conclusion

One of the many benefits of using WordPress is its flexibility and the ability to install numerous paid and free plugins. That’s why every WordPress beginner needs to know what plugins are, how they work, and how to manage them.

In this article, we’ve covered all the basics of WordPress plugins. Having learned what is a WordPress plugin, the next step is to find the best plugins to help you achieve your WordPress site’s goals. We also have an extensive library of WordPress guides that can help you make the most out of your site.

What Is a WordPress Plugin FAQ

What Are Plugins On a Website?

Website plugins are software that extends the site’s existing functionality or adds new features to it. For example, you might want to use plugins to combat spam or add contact forms to your website.

Why Do I Need Plugins?

Plugins are an easy and often cheap way to add features to your website that you might otherwise not have, like newsletter subscription blocks or an analytics plugin that helps you better understand your website’s metrics.

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A Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Plugins: How to Use, Install, and Manage Them