Sailing in uncharted waters is never predictable. The same goes for establishing a new WordPress project. This is why having the correct tools in a toolbag is usually an ideal method to avoid and fix issues that can risk postponing or completely destroying the operation.
Since WordPress, as an ecosystem, grew and is still the most prominent CMS out there, many plugins are aimed at helping developers. However, sometimes it might be very tough to recognize what is a good or terrible addition to the already described toolset.
This is why I decided to share my selection of the best WordPress plugins for developers that genuinely make a difference and bring value.
When it comes to managing a WordPress site, what do you find to be the most frequent issue? My money is on the admission that the work was shoddy and that valuable time was wasted. Many programmers have to deal with this issue.
WP Reset is a plugin that restores a site to its previous state using the snapshot as a guide. The snapshots are the major feature that sets this apart from other similar plugins. Compared to database backups, snapshots are both quicker and more dependable.
The same holds true for your media files; by activating this plugin, you can be assured that you can always stop what you’re doing and hit your emergency stop button.
Sticky widgets for WordPress (WP Sticky) are up next on our list of UI components. With this WordPress plugin, you may make a selected section of the website always displayed. Most website users nowadays are using their smartphones to navigate pages. Reduced real estate means you can’t display as much information at once.
Now, thanks to this plugin, you may easily overlay content on a user’s screen. Simplifying and shortening processes can be a need at times. If someone else has already made and optimized a feature you require, there is no point in recreating the wheel.
Even if you have just begun a massive project and realize it will take a while to complete, it’s still a good idea to release at least some content to let your audience know you’re still working on them. If you are making changes to a frequently frequented website, this is of even more significance.
Since the aim is to complete the main work, it could seem counterproductive to spend extra time on such a page. All you have to do is turn on WP Maintenance, pick a good-looking theme, then tweak it using the drag-and-drop builder, and you’ll be all set! Maximize your time spent on the maintenance page.
Query Monitor
Is it of interest to you to learn how your website interacts with its data storage system? If that’s the case, Query Monitor is an excellent addition to your collection of tools.
Once you start using this plugin, you’ll have a full new understanding of the most typical issues that arise during the query sending process. The PHP errors are likewise properly formatted and may be viewed in the admin toolbar. It’s also neat that you can use it in tandem with HTTP inspector, which is available in most modern browsers.
Debug Bar
Creating a new plugin or theme? How often have you spent hours reading logs, going back and forth, and getting nowhere because something just didn’t work? If you’re a developer like a majority, you probably answered “many.”
If you’re having trouble figuring out what’s wrong with the page, you’re viewing, installing the Debug Bar plugin will add a bar to the top of your screen that describes the problems. You will save a lot of time and effort with this simple plugin.
Wordfence Login Security
Protection from harm is a major concern in the modern world. To ensure the security of your website, it is essential that you manage user access. Even if you are aware of this and take precautions to ensure the safety of your website, you should consider the possibility that other users have accounts there.
You may ensure that only approved users are able to log in by increasing the level of protection provided by Wordfence Login Security. Two-factor authentication, which is used for this purpose, is already commonplace. This plugin will prevent brute-force login attempts and alert you when they occur, keeping your website secure.
Conclusion
In this article, I shared the plugins I consider indispensable for working with WordPress. The majority of developers, in my experience, don’t give a damn about how their code affects the visual design of a website.
Unlike other developers, you can use the WP Maintenance plugin to conceal your unfinished work. You won’t feel as much pressure to get things done quickly; you won’t panic as easily when faced with a problem that doesn’t have a simple solution, and, most significantly, users will be more engaged if they know what’s going on behind the scenes.