WordPress is a great platform for blogging and more. Plugins are very important part for a WordPress site. Being an owner of a WordPress site, you need to know the nook and corner of your site. We will show you how to add plugin in WordPress in this lesson.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a factory that makes webpages is a core analogy designed to clarify the functions of WordPress: it stores content and enables a user to create and publish webpages, requiring nothing beyond a domain and a hosting service.
WordPress has a web template system using a template processor. Its architecture is a front controller, routing all requests for non-static URIs to a single PHP file which parses the URI and identifies the target page. This allows support for more human-readable permalinks.
What is Plugins?
WordPress’ plugin architecture allows users to extend the features and functionality of a website or blog. As of June 2019, WordPress.org has 55,131 plugins available, each of which offers custom functions and features enabling users to tailor their sites to their specific needs. However, this does not include the premium plugins that are available (approximately 1,500+), which may not be listed in the WordPress.org repository. These customizations range from search engine optimization (SEO), to client portals used to display private information to logged in users, to content management systems, to content displaying features, such as the addition of widgets and navigation bars. Not all available plugins are always abreast with the upgrades and as a result they may not function properly or may not function at all. Most plugins are available through WordPress themselves, either via downloading them and installing the files manually via FTP or through the WordPress dashboard. However, many third parties offer plugins through their own websites, many of which are paid packages.
Web developers who wish to develop plugins need to learn WordPress’ hook system which consists of over 300 hooks divided into two categories: action hooks and filter hooks.
How to add plugin in WordPress manually
The following steps take you through how to install a plugin using FTP, using the Gallery plugin as the example:
- Go to the plugin page from the WordPress Plugin Directory website.
- Click the red download button to transfer the plugin Zip file to your computer.
- Unzip the plugin files.
All plugins downloaded from the Plugin Directory are in the Zip format. Most operating systems (Windows, Mac, and so on) have built-in tools to open Zip files. After opening the Zip file, extract the directory contained inside the Zip file and put it in a directory on your computer that is easily accessible.
Connect to your site’s server using FTP.
If you have any difficulty connecting to your server, contact your hosting provider and ask for assistance in connecting to your server via FTP.
Navigate to the wp-content folder within the WordPress installation for your website or blog.
The location of your WordPress installation can differ with every hosting provider. Make sure that you know the location before you proceed.
Navigate to the /wp-content/plugins directory.
First, navigate to wp-content. Inside this directory are the plugins and themes directories along with a few others. Navigate to the plugins directory. It is inside this directory that all plugins reside.
Upload the plugin folder to the /wp-content/plugins directory on your web server.
The plugin folder, named for the plugin (for example, if you’re uploading the Gallery plugin, the folder is /gallery) contains all the files for that plugin.
How to add plugin in WordPress via WordPress search
Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Click on “Plugins” in the menu on the left-hand side.
Step 2: Click “Add New” at the top of the page.
Step 3: Find or upload the plugin.
If you know the name of the plugin, you can search for it in the WordPress repository.
Alternatively, if you have a .zip file copy of the plugin, you can upload it via the “upload” tab. Just click “Choose File” and select the file.
Step 4: Click “Install Now.”
If you searched for the plugin, it will look like this:
When you click “Install Now,” a pop-up will appear asking if you are sure you want to install the plugin. Click OK.
If you uploaded the plugin, it will look like this:
Step 5: Activate the plugin.
After installing, you’ll be shown two links. One says “Activate Plugin,” the other says “Return to Plugin Installer.” Click on “Activate Plugin.”
Step 6: If applicable, insert your API key
Some plugins require an API key to finish activating the plugin. If your plugin requires that, find the settings area for the plugin and insert the API key.
Step 7: If needed, configure the settings.
This step will be a little bit different for each plugin. Some plugins will have a link to settings in the plugin list. Others will add a new item to your menu. If you’re not sure how to configure the settings for your plugin, just do a Google search on “how to configure settings for [plugin name].”
Step 8: Check the front end of your site.
The plugin may look funky or break your site altogether. If that happens to you, you can deactivate the plugin, or even delete it altogether. (It’s a good idea to have a tech-savvy friend nearby in case the plugin breaks your site!)
There you go! You’re done!
Conclusion
Here we have shown the best way how to add plugin in WordPress. Hope you enjoyed it. Contact us for more updates and web design services.
FAQ
Are plugins on WordPress free?
Yes. But there are premium plugins too. You can purchase them from respective plugin author website.
How do I install a plugin on WordPress
Step 1: Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Step 2: Click “Add New” at the top of the page.
Step 3: Find or upload the plugin.
Step 4: Click “Install Now.” If you searched for the plugin, it will look like this:
Step 5: Activate the plugin.
Step 6: If applicable, insert your API key
Step 7: If needed, configure the settings.
Step 8: Check the front end of your site.
How many WordPress plugins are there?
There are many WordPress plugins. Be specific it is 30000+ plugins. There are other plugins in codecanyon. So actual number is very difficult to define. WordPress plugins are great to enhance capability. So, Search for best plugins in WordPress repo.
Why are plugins used?
Plugins are used to enhance ability of WordPress site. WordPress’ plugin architecture allows users to extend the features and functionality of a website or blog. As of June 2019, WordPress.org has 55,131 plugins available, each of which offers custom functions and features enabling users to tailor their sites to their specific needs. However, this does not include the premium plugins that are available (approximately 1,500+), which may not be listed in the WordPress.org repository.