Maybe someone asks or doesn’t know what a plugin is, the types of plugins and what the plugin does.
Therefore, at this time we will discuss in detail and completely about the plugin.
Definition of Plugins
Plugins are software code with specific functions that allow an application or program to run additional features in that application or program. The software code is commonly found in programs or applications such as Mozilla, Google Chrome, Opera Browser, and WordPress.
Maybe you’ve received a notification “Install plugin X to be able to watch videos in browser Y.”
Some applications do use different terms such as Add-on (Mozilla and Opera Browser) and Extension (Google Chrome). Meanwhile, WordPress still uses the term plugin.
Generally, each plugin is designed for a particular application or program. For example, Mozilla add-ons cannot be installed for Google Chrome. Vice versa, Google Chrome extensions cannot be installed in Mozilla.
Plugins on WordPress
WordPress as one of the most popular Content Management Systems provides plugins so that its users can provide the best features on their website or blog. The existence of a WordPress plugin makes it easier for WordPress users who are not experts in coding.
Plugins are an easy way for WordPress CMS users to add features to their website or blog.
You don’t need a coding expert to add one or more features to a blog or website that uses WordPress thanks to this plugin. You only need to install the required plugin and follow the instructions provided by the plugin developer.
Currently WordPress provides at least around 55 thousand plugins. The 55 thousand plugins are divided into several types of categories. Some of the popular types of WordPress plugin categories are as follows:
SEO plugins
Want your website or blog to rank high in Google search results? In order for the articles written to appear on the first page of Google search results, various efforts are needed.
One way is to download and install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO. This plugin functions to help analyze the articles that you will release from an SEO perspective, whether the articles are SEO friendly or not.
Examples of SEO plugins: All in One SEO Pack, Yoast SEO
Security Plugins
The virtual world is not a safe place. You need to protect your website in various ways. One way is to install a security plugin to avoid cyber attacks that can come at any time.
Examples of security plugins: iThemes Security, Jetpack, and Wordfence
Backup Plugins
The backup plugin functions to restore error or deleted website data. Installing this plugin is an anticipatory step if an error occurs on the website which causes the data on it to be deleted.
Examples of backup plugins: UpdraftPlus and BackWPUp
Anti-Spam Plugin
Getting lots of comments on every article you release is certainly fun. However, sometimes it is not uncommon for the comments column to be filled with spam comments. Annoying isn’t it?
Therefore, you need to install a plugin like Akismet to prevent your website or blog from annoying spam comments.
An example of an anti-spam plugin: Akismet
Website Speed Plugin
Speed is vital for a website because it can affect performance in Google search results. A website that has a faster loading speed has more value to get the top ranking in search results. Therefore, it is also recommended that you install a plugin to increase website speed.
Examples of website speed plugins: W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache.
Social Media Plugins
Getting traffic from Google is not enough. You also need traffic coming from social media because most people share articles through these platforms. So that article readers can easily share your articles, you need to install social media plugins.
By adding social media plugins to WordPress, you can increase the number of article shares on your blog or website.
Examples of social media plugins: Sassy Share, Social Widget, etc
Conclusion
As previously mentioned, WordPress has around 55K plugins currently and will likely continue to grow.
Of course you can’t use all of these plugins. You need to choose a plugin according to the needs of your website or blog. Many plugins provide the same functionality, so you need to consider what features your website or blog really needs.
Always pay attention to what functions the plugin offers. Then look at the ratings and reviews too. Is the rating good? Do users of the plugin give positive reviews?
You have to be careful and thorough before installing a plugin because in some cases installing a plugin can damage the performance of your website or blog. Therefore, you should always check the reviews first so that you can find out the experience of installing the plugin from other people.
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