There are currently over 58,000 listings in the WordPress Plugin Repository. Beyond that, there are likely thousands of free and commercial offerings available elsewhere on the web. Together, they cover a staggering number of functionalities and use cases.<\/p>\n
But not all plugins are created equally. Only a relative few are labeled as \u201cgreat\u201d by their users. And that title doesn\u2019t necessarily last a lifetime. One false move by a developer and those 5-star reviews can quickly turn into something significantly lower.<\/p>\n
That got me thinking about the ingredients behind a great WordPress plugin. How do you quantify something so subjective?<\/p>\n
Each person will judge a plugin based on their own needs and experiences. However, I do think that there are some guiding principles that go into building something great. An approach that, if closely followed, can bring lots of love from the WordPress community \u2013 whether a plugin has 10 users or 10 million.<\/p>\n
The following is not an exhaustive list of attributes, but hopefully enough to get the ball rolling!<\/p>\n
Perhaps the two most important questions a plugin developer should ask themselves are:<\/p>\n
The answers should act as a sort of mission statement. A plugin needs to have a defined purpose and solve a specific issue.<\/p>\n
The purpose can be defined in any number of ways. Perhaps it adds completely new functionality or compliments an existing plugin \u2013 such as a WooCommerce extension. It can also range in scope from niche to all-encompassing.<\/p>\n
As a plugin\u2019s user base grows, it\u2019s also important to adhere to this mission. While it may evolve, it shouldn\u2019t radically change for its own sake.<\/p>\n
For example, a plugin that focuses on SEO functionality shouldn\u2019t start adding unrelated features \u2013 like a shopping cart \u2013 to the mix. That\u2019s more likely to frustrate users and lead to abandonment.<\/p>\n
The great plugins tend to stick to their core principles and organically expand from there.<\/p>\n
There has been no shortage of complaints with regard to plugin authors who implemented some dubious policies. By doing so, it\u2019s often at the expense of users. We\u2019ve seen several situations where questionable decisions have been made.<\/p>\n
Some insist on littering<\/a> the WordPress dashboard with all sorts of upsells and nagging messages. In other cases, developers have turned on<\/a> automatic updates without bothering to tell users. And that\u2019s only scratching the surface.<\/p>\n Even if well-intentioned, these tactics only serve to cause friction. Users generally don\u2019t appreciate an invasion of their space nor having crucial functionality turned on without their consent.<\/p>\n A great plugin will put users first and take care to implement features respectfully. Mind you, this doesn\u2019t mean a lack of upsells. It\u2019s just that users can dismiss them, and they don\u2019t pop up every time you log in.<\/p>\n And, most importantly, users will be informed of any functionality changes and allowed to choose what\u2019s best for them. Everything should be out in the open.<\/p>\n Building plugins the \u201cWordPress way\u201d requires a focus on coding standards and accessibility. This helps to ensure that the underlying code is efficient, secure, and stable. In addition, the plugin\u2019s UI can be utilized by everyone.<\/p>\n This is easy to say but difficult to put into practice. WordPress is an open-source platform. Therefore, any developer who wants to write a plugin can do so. That means people of all different skill levels and specialties are putting things out there for users to download.<\/p>\n Not everyone is going to adhere to best practices in these areas. Plus, the bigger and more ambitious the plugin, the harder it can be to manage. A little bit of sloppy code can make for a big mess in no time.<\/p>\n To achieve greatness, measures have to be put in place to ensure adherence to standards and accessibility. Consistency in this area is crucial. Somehow, the best plugins seem to pull it off.<\/p>\nA Focus on Standards and Accessibility<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s Well-Maintained and Supported<\/h2>\n