Plugin Selection

Core WordPress code has many of the capabilities that you need to run an effective website:

  • Full Suite of editorial tools for the creation and modification of content.
  • Comprehensive suite of content blocks which can be used in content & universal regions.
  • Navigation and menu controls.
  • Website search.
  • Ability to upload common media types into a library for page/post insertion.
  • Optional comments module which can be selectively activate.
  • Webmail functionality which works on most standard web servers.
  • Five user access levels differentiated by editorial privileges.
  • Ability to restrict access to content based on user validation.
  • One click update capability for core, plugins & selected themes.

Plugins augment this core functionality in common and specialty use cases such as:

  • Webform construction & handling.
  • Search engine optimization controls.
  • Enhanced security and access controls.
  • Site caching & backup.
  • Enhanced visual effects.
  • Commerce
  • Events
  • Membership
  • Development

Limiting plugin use should be the goal for any CMS installation as each plugin carries with it a series of scripts, strain, and potential vulnerabilities.

There are more than sixty thousand fully vetted plugins available for free use and easy upload via the WordPress codex here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/ with some following the “freemium” model where additional functionality is available via subscription fee. And, of course, there is another whole universe of commercially distributed plugins. Here is a partial list of plugins that I recommend:

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