A plugin is an extension for a CMS like WordPress that adds additional features without requiring any programming, but does require maintenance. Contact forms, cookie banners, SEO optimization, e-commerce features: Almost anything can be added via a plugin. Over 60,000 plugins are available in the WordPress directory. The downside: Too many plugins—or poorly maintained ones—slow down the website and create security vulnerabilities. Here, quality trumps quantity: a few well-maintained plugins are better than many half-baked ones!
How can you tell if a plugin is good?
A quick look at three metrics in the WordPress directory often reveals more than the feature list: When was the last update, how many active installations are there, and what do the latest reviews say? A plugin that hasn’t been updated in over a year is a red flag, even if it’s still working for now. Just as important: Does the plugin even work with your theme? Not every Gutenberg block works seamlessly with every theme.
How many plugins are too many?
There’s no set number; what matters is the combination of load time and maintenance effort. Ten lean, up-to-date plugins are less of a problem than three sluggish, outdated ones. If you notice that your website is getting noticeably slower, you should first check which plugins are still actually needed and which have simply accumulated over time.
My own plugin:
I, too, developed a plugin because at some point I hit a wall. The available plugins were either inadequate or were no longer being maintained. The result is the EMN FAQ & Accordion Block, a free, accessible Gutenberg plugin for FAQ and accordion sections that uses Schema.org data.
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