What is WordPress Plugin? Why We Need It?

What is WordPress Plugin?

WordPress plugin is a piece of software that extends the features and functions of website. Plugins play a vital role in building high quality WordPress websites.

Why Do We Need WordPress Plugins?

You can build almost any type of website, from ecommerce stores to portfolios to directory sites, using plugins, which can expand or add additional capabilities to your site.

Additionally, there are plugins that may help you improve your contact forms, create stunning sliders, create a backup of your website in case of data loss, make email opt-in simple, and much more.

Some plugins alter the back end of your website while others alter the front end, making maintenance simpler for your team.

Why Should You Develop WordPress Plugins?

Consider the first WordPress rule as a starting point for your response. Don’t alter the core of WordPress. For two crucial reasons, altering any of the WordPress core files is a bad idea. Firstly, any core modifications will be overwritten and lost when WordPress is updated. And secondly, making changes to the WordPress core can cause problems and endanger your website.

Fortunately, WordPress offers a strong and reliable API that enables us to increase the functionality of the core WordPress files.

WordPress Plugins Directory

Let’s take a moment to explore some of the varied plugins that are currently offered in the WordPress plugin directory before getting started on plugin development. As you can see, there are more than 50,000 free plugins available in the WordPress Plugin Directory.

The scope and complexity of these plugins range widely. Some plugins are straightforward and concentrate on a single task. For instance, there is a plugin that modifies the WordPress login page’s default location. A plugin that disables the WordPress Emoji Icon feature is another. There is plugin which is used when WordPress is used as a strict CMS rather than a blogging platform, disables all WordPress feeds.

Few examples of straightforward plugins that effectively perform a single task. Plugins can, of course, be extremely sophisticated and offer a wide range of features and functionality. For instance, All in One SEO offers a range of features that are all intended to boost the SEO of your website. Additionally, W3 Total Cache offers a tonne of functionality to enhance site performance. Don’t worry if any of these plugins are missing; keep in mind that WordPress plugins come and go frequently. These are merely examples.

Need a Custom WordPress Plugin, Hire Me.

WordPress Plugins Directory Isn’t the Only Place

A lot of “pro” or premium plugins are also accessible outside of the plugin directory. Professional plugins are available online at stores like CodeCanyon, wpmudev.org, and numerous smaller plugin stores like Plugin Planet.

Which WordPress Plugin Should You Develop?

You can decide on your own plugins and generate fresh ideas by taking into account what has already been done. You might discover a plugin that precisely fulfils our requirements, you might discover a plugin that you can adopt and further develop on our your own or with a team.

 Interested in Developing WordPress Plugins, This Book Is a Must Read

To become familiar with what’s available is the goal. With so many plugins available in the plugin directory, almost any task can be accomplished by a suitable plugin. When beginning to develop plugins, it’s crucial to comprehend this. Knowing what has already been accomplished can help you save time and concentrate your efforts on projects that will pay off. Here are a few plugins that demonstrate the extensive range of plugin functionality. WP Statistics is one of many plugins that offer statistics about your website.

Additionally, there are plugins for almost every social media function, including sharing, enabling social logins, and displaying icons.  Additionally, there are lots of membership and shopping cart plugins that can turn your website into an effective eCommerce platform. Need to schedule clients? WordPress.org has a number of excellent booking/calendar plugins available. There are lots of great niche plugins, too, like this one for integrating a complete real estate system.

Conclusion

Always keep in mind the vast collection of WordPress plugins already available. Look into what is already available before creating a new plugin. You are free to examine and reuse the code in accordance with the GPL licence because all plugins hosted at the WordPress plugin directory are open source.

It’s also important to keep in mind that plugins offered from sources other than the WordPress plugin directory might or might not be fully GPL licenced. So before using any code, make sure to verify the licence terms.