WordPress is a popular site-building platform with more than 455 million sites across the globe. It offers a wide range of free and paid features, including “plugins” that can add new functions to an existing site.
However, if you use WordPress and are experiencing site slowdowns or other technical issues, one of the first things you’ll want to check on is your plugin use. This is because with too many plugins (or the wrong ones) installed, your site can suffer.
What makes excessive plugins an issue on WordPress sites — and what can you do to cut back on plugins to enhance site performance? Continue reading to find out.
The Problem With Excess WordPress Plugins
The main thing to remember with WordPress plugins is that they’re all open-source; anybody can develop and publish a plugin. This is great in many ways, but it can also create some compatibility issues because different developers aren’t able to test whether their particular plugin works well with any other given plugin out there.
As a result, plugin X may work fine on its own — but when used in conjunction with plugin Y, you might experience issues with your site. The more plugins you have installed on your WordPress site, the more likely compatibility issues will occur.
How to Pare Down Your Plugins
How do you know if you have too many plugins? The main thing to watch for is slow page-loading times, but in some cases, a site may even crash if it is overrun by too many. One Forbes article suggests that a “good” number of plugins is 20, but anything more than 30 is too many.
Ready to cut back on your plugins to enhance your site’s performance? Start by taking an inventory of the plugins you have installed. From there, take time to remove any that you haven’t used or any that perform the same functions. Although WordPress will give you the option to simply “deactivate” a plugin, it’s generally best to uninstall it completely.
More Tips for a Smooth-Running Website
Once you’ve cleaned up your WordPress plugins, you should immediately begin noticing improved site performance. In some cases, deleted plugins may leave files that can continue to cause problems. If this is the case, you’ll need to manually find the files within your WordPress database and delete them yourself. Fortunately, this problem is relatively rare.
Are you looking for more ways to improve your site’s speed and performance? One of the best methods for optimizing WordPress sites is to choose the right hosting plan. Specifically, a dedicated server for WordPress will help you get the most out of your site.
At ReliableSite, we offer a wide range of WordPress dedicated server options to suit your needs and budget. Let us help you get your site running at peak speeds and optimal reliability. Get in touch with our experienced and knowledgeable team today to help choose and set up the hosting plan that’s right for you.