What Is A Plugin?
A plugin is a software component that adds specific features or functions to an existing computer program. In the context of WordPress, a plugin is essentially a package of code from a third party that can be added to your WordPress site to add new features or enhance existing ones.
While plugins are useful for customization and efficiency, it's important to distinguish third party plugins as products from a separate company. These products can potentially cause issues on your WordPress site or might not work as intended.
In the event an issue arises we recommend reaching out to that company's support system initially, as they can diagnose the issue with their product most efficiently.
Common Plugins include:
The Events Calendar - a popular free calendar plugin along with paid feature extensions and a PRO option for even more calendar functionality.
WooCommerce - a popular e-commerce platform that can be used to sell a variety of products, including physical goods, digital downloads, subscriptions, bookings, and customizable bundles.
Yoast SEO - helps improve a website's search engine rankings by optimizing content and keywords. It offers a variety of tools and features.
Contact Form 7 - a free, open-source WordPress plugin that allows users to create and manage contact forms on their websites.
Gravity Forms - allows users to create forms to collect information on their website. It includes a drag-and-drop builder that allows users to create simple or complex forms, such as contact forms, quizzes, surveys, payment forms, and more.
Supporting Plugins:
Most plugins have their own support system. Each plugin is different and some products are better than others. When shopping for a third party plugin you'll want to treat it like purchasing any other service.
When selecting a plugin for your WordPress site it's recommended to pay attention to a few things:
Does the company responsible for this plugin offer support and if so, how active is this support?
How many active installations are there for this plugin?
What are the reviews and ratings for this plugin?
Inside the WordPress Plugin Directory there is helpful information included for most plugins. Most of the popular plugins also have their own websites with additional products and support.
