Essential Plugins
Plugins & Going Live
Preview
Plugins
The essential set
| Job | Popular plugin |
|---|---|
| Forms | Contact Form 7 / WPForms |
| SEO | Yoast SEO / Rank Math |
| Security | Wordfence / Solid Security |
| Cache | WP Super Cache / W3 Total Cache |
| Backups | UpdraftPlus |
| Shop | WooCommerce |
Install safely
- Only install from the WordPress plugin directory
- Check ratings, installs and last update
- Keep every plugin updated
- Delete plugins you don't use
- Back up before installing new plugins
Too many plugins?
Every plugin is code running on your site. Aim for the minimum that does the job — each one adds attack surface and can slow the site.
Theme vs plugin
Layout and look → theme. Features and behaviour → plugin. Keep your custom features in a plugin so they survive theme changes.
Tip: A slow site is often just too many plugins. Remove anything not earning its place.
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