How to Choose the Perfect Plugin for Your WordPress Blog

Jan 18, 2010 by Shivendu Madhava

The key to finding the perfect plugin is research. Taking the time to investigate potential plugins ensures somooth implementation and prevents unnecessary headaches in the future. Of course, many of the more popular plugins (such as Akismet, XML Sitemaps, Database Manager) may be on your list before you even install WordPress, but even so, you may be surprised at the growing number of alternatives.

Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect plugin:

1. Determine the need. What do you want the plugin to do for you?

2. Check the WordPress Codex. See if there are any suitable matches at the official plugin repository. It is generally well-documented, well-organized, and up-to-date.

3. Regardless of what you find at the Codex, search the Web for alternatives. Many developers deliberately choose not to list their plugins at the Codex.There are some great plugins that are only available directly from the author.

4. Check the compatibility of the plugin before installation. Make sure that it works with your version of WordPress.

5. Check the support of the plugin. Is there a way of getting help if you need it? Is there a forum? Does the author appear to be responsive?

6. Determine how frequently the plugin is updated. This may provide clues as to the level of commitment that may be expected from the plugin author.There is nothing worse than relying on a plugin that fails to evolve with new versions of WordPress.

7. Is the plugin well-documented? Does the documentation explain everything adequately? Is there a change log or history of changes for the plugin?

8. Search the Web for specific issues related to the plugin. Dig for the stuff that isn’t mentioned on the plugin page. Search for phrases such as “problem with name-of-plugin”, “name-of-plugin issues”, or even “name-of-plugins sucks.” Also research the performance of the plugin so it doesn’t slow you down.

9. Check the files. Once you have found that perfect plugin, check its files carefully. Look for anything that seems out of place. Are there extraneous files? Is documentation included? Examples?

10. Check the code. If you understand PHP, (X)HTML, CSS, and/or JavaScript, take a good look at the code and do your best to see if everything is legit. Keepan eye open for anything that cries foul, such as spam links, unreasonable licenses, and so on.

While you may not need to perform all of these steps for every plugin you use, keeping these things in mind will help you to choose a perfect collection of plugins for your site. Again, the key to maximizing your experience with a plugin involves taking the time to research and understand its purpose and functionality.