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Too Many WordPress Plugins to Choose From!

There is such a thing as being spoiled for choices. A musician in a state of the art recording studio can find his creative instincts overwhelmed by the wealth of choices at his fingertips. Limitations, or parameters, can be seen as assets to the aesthetic mind. This is all true for the field of web design. A designer at the top of his or her field today is almost certainly working with WordPress while WordPress is consistently expanding in functionality as plug-ins are developed and added on a daily basis. There are over 38,000 plug-ins in the WordPress Plugin Directory alone. How many is too many? At what point does a designer begin to work out what works best and start establishing parameters that will produce his or her best work? The following should be kept in mind while working with WordPress Plugins:

Safety first

One could do far worse for a guideline. This is the internet after all. And any installation brings with it the potential for security hazards. Be mindful. The problem lies in the code, as past discoveries have proven. If not caught up front, you may discover the plug-in is not functioning to your liking afterward. You may not like it. It may cause issues. Immediately delete and deactivate. Do not leave a bunch of inactive plug-ins just lying around.

Relationship compatibility

A unique consideration when installing WordPress Plugins is the relationship you have now entered into with its development team. As WordPress evolves, so must the plug-in. If its developers decide to stop updating and maintaining, major issues may arise once WordPress updates.

Do homework your homework

potential mate always seems perfect when Cupid’s arrow makes contact. It’s always after the person is in your life that you learn whether or not he or she is right for you. If only you could have done your homework before getting involved. Well, guess what? Before bringing a new WordPress plugin into your world, you can do just that. Do your homework. You can do this by checking the plug-in’s feedback rating in the plug-in directory. Check its support forum for the plug to see if it has any chronic issues and whether they are being actively responded to. Finally, check out the plug-in’s changelog to see what kind of updates have been pushed through. Look out for regular updates. Admittedly, the relationship analogy only extends so far. Most individuals entering into relationships, at least the monogamous kind are not holding out for maximum variety. Any experienced WordPress user will most definitely be making the most of the functionality provided by those thousands of plugin. The key word here is discretion.  

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