Choosing and managing plugins wisely
Plugins add useful features, and extra risk. Here is how to choose them carefully and keep your collection lean.
Plugins are add-on features that let a website do more: forms, galleries, bookings, shops, search tools and more. They are powerful, and each one is also software that needs care.
Before adding a plugin
Ask five questions:
- Do we really need it? Could the site already do this?
- Is it actively maintained? Look for recent updates and a working support channel.
- Is it widely used and well reviewed?
- Does it work with our version of the platform and our other plugins?
- What does it cost, now and at renewal, and who holds the licence?
Fewer is usually better
Every plugin can slow a site, clash with another or open a security gap. Ten carefully chosen plugins are better than thirty collected over the years.
Keep a simple register
A short list pays for itself. Record, for each plugin:
- What it does and why you chose it
- Who installed it and when
- Where its licence and login are kept
- When it renews
Housekeeping every few months
- Delete plugins you no longer use, rather than only deactivating them
- Replace any that have not been updated for a long time
- Check that paid licences are current
- Update everything, after a backup
Watch for lock-in
Some plugins store your content in a special format that is hard to move. Where possible, favour tools that keep your content portable.
Who is allowed to install?
Limit who can add plugins. A single careless addition can undo a lot of good work.
Not sure which plugins you need? Ask our team for a plugin review.