WordPress Plugins can enhance the performance of your WordPress blog or website. But, are all WordPress Plugins created equal? This article discusses what WordPress plugins are available and how to find the best WordPress plugins for your website or blog.
So, are all WordPress Plugins created equal? In one word, no!!
There are, as of today (July 12, 2011), 15,180 WordPress plugins. Not only do they perform a wide variety of different tasks, but they differ in other ways as well.
As for the different tasks . . .
Looking at the newest plugins on the WordPress site today, I see a tweet list, a German SMS plugin, a plugin that calculates your mood, a plugin to link your social network pages to your site, a photo gallery, a plugin to make your admin page fixed-width, and a plugin to send you update notifications. Seven plugins: seven completely different functions.
Plugins Differ in the Version of WordPress They Are Compatible With
The current version of WordPress is 3.2, as of July 4, 2011. Plugins that have been created since then and plugins that have been updated to work with 3.2 will work with this latest version and some plugins that have not been updated may continue to work. But there are some old plugins that have not been updated for quite awhile and they may not work with 3.2 – a feature on the plugin pages provides the available information about plugin compatibility.
Plugins Differ in the Attention the Developer Continues to Give Them
In the summary that WordPress provides when you search on a plugin, you can see its version number. A version of 0.1 tells you that the plugin is very new. A version of 1.0 that was last updated in 2009 (the latest update information is also provided) tells you that either the plugin continues to work perfectly with the latest version of WordPress or that the developer has dropped support for the plugin.
Plugins Differ in Their Popularity
The popularity of the plugin is indicated by its rating in stars and the number of downloads. 5 stars with 3 downloads doesn’t tell you much. 4.5 stars with 199,000 downloads tells you more. A new plugin may have zero stars because no one has rated yet or because it doesn’t perform as advertised. Keep in mind that people may rank a plugin when a) they don’t have the environment it needs (e.g., the proper version of WordPress) or when they have misunderstood its purpose, as well as when they have legitimate appreciation for or gripes with it.
Plugins Differ in Their Ability to Work With Other Plugins
Too many plugins installed may tend to lead to compatibility issues, but even if you only have a few plugins, some may cross others up. This is worth considering if things are not working as expected.
Plugins Differ in the Quality of the Instructions They Come With
Some plugin developer provide screenshots and clear installation and operation instructions. Others seem to believe that everyone can read their mind or has loads of experience. Check the WordPress plugin page and the developers site for instructions prior to installing the plugin, to avoid frustration.
Plugins Differ in the Quality of Support That’s Provided For Them
Many plugins are free and the support offered may be really great or limited – it depends on the developer and his or her circumstances and commitment.
Plugins Differ in Cost
While some plugins and widgets are free, others are available for a price. Often the ones you pay for receive better support and have better instructions, though developers who make plugins for purchase may also offer free plugins that are related or connected.