WordPress Plugins

The 13 Most Essential Plugins for WordPress

on Mar 13th 2009 with 134 comments

WordPress is a very powerful and flexible blog/content management system, but the thousands of plugins really help to extend the basic functionality. Here are 13 essential plugins that you should immediately install after finishing the WordPress installation.

Akismet

Akismet

This one should be a no-brainer. Akismet uses their web service to check the comments on your blog to see if it looks like spam. The plugin is developed by the creators of WordPress, so it’s integrated nicely and is included in the WordPress install. All you need is a WordPress.com API key to get it up and running.

Download Akismet Plugin

Custom More Link

Custom More Link

One thing that always bothered me about the the read more tag in WordPress is how when you click into the full article, it jumps down to where the more tag was inserted. This plugin allows you to get rid of that and completely customize the link.

Download Custom More Link Plugin

Different Posts Per Page

Different Posts Per Page

Let’s say that you want to display 3 posts on the homepage, 10 posts on the category pages, and 20 on the archives. If you want to avoid touching any of the template coding, you can just use this plugin to customize the number of posts that are displayed per page.

Download Different Posts Per Page Plugin

Google XML Sitemaps

Google XML Sitemaps

While the plugin is called “Google” XML Sitemaps, the automatically generated sitemap is actually also supported by Ask, MSN, and Yahoo. It’s nice to be able to customize a few settings and then never having to think about your xml sitemap again.

Download Google XML Sitemaps Plugin

No Self Pings

No Self Pings

Trackbacks are a great way to allow people to link to and discuss your blog articles, but this can also include your own site when you link to your own article. It would probably be better to use a related posts plugin for those, so this plugin is useful for filtering out your own trackbacks.

Download No Self Pings Plugin

Redirection

Redirection

If you are moving from an existing website into WordPress, your URLs will probably be different. This plugin is useful for adding 301 redirects to make sure that users can end up in the right place. You can also keep track of 404 errors or create other redirects with full Regular Expression support.

Download Redirection Plugin

Search Unleashed

Search Unleashed

The regular WordPress search leaves a lot to be desired. This plugin fills that desire. You can perform full text searches on all posts, pages, comments, and other meta-data. The search index is automatically updated whenever you add or edit content, so you never have to worry about it being out of date.

Download Search Unleashed Plugin

Subscribe to Comments

Subscribe to Comments

You should always give commentors a way to follow their comments. This plugin provides a simple checkbox that commentors can check to receive emails whenever anyone else comments on the post. This has already been built into the core of the WordPress.com blogs, and it will probably eventually make it into the core for WordPress.org as well.

Download Subscribe to Comments Plugin

WP-DB-Backup

WP-DB-Backup

Backup your WordPress database on demand or schedule recurring backups. It is always good to have a backup plan in case anything goes wrong, so setup a recurring backup and be done with it. You may not ever need to use the backups, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Download WP-DB-Backup Plugin

WP-PageNavi

Page Navi

Instead of using the WordPress default previous and next links, this plugin adds a more advanced navigation. You can also completely customize the display of the pagination.

Download WP-PageNavi Plugin

wp-typogrify

wp-typogrify

Instead of using primes for quotes ( ′ & ″ ) use real quotes instead ( ’ & ” ). This plugin will automatically correct quotes and apply additional typographic enhancements. Sometimes it’s the small details that count.

Download wp-typogrify Plugin

WP Security Scan

WP Security Scan

The WordPress team does a great job of addressing major security issues as they arise, but there are other steps you can take to secure your site. This plugin will run a scan and help you take the additional protection steps needed.

Download WP Security Scan Plugin

WP Super Cache

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/

The WP Super Cache plugin generates static html files to speed up the loading of your site. If you tend to have large spikes in traffic, this is a must have plugin to help your site from going down. There is also legacy support for the WP Cache plugin if you don’t want to serve html files.

Download WP Super Cache Plugin

Conclusion

These are just a small subset of the essential WordPress plugins to get you started on a site. What other important ones do you recommend?

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Hi, I’m Trevor Davis, and I make websites. I’m obsessed with them; it’s a problem. I’m a 24 year old Front-End Developer living in Alexandria, VA. I work full-time at Matrix Group International and freelance on the side. I specialize in CSS, HTML, jQuery and WordPress. I spend a lot of my time writing blog articles, building websites, playing basketball, and watching movies.  

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  • SX

    Thanks. I have some, but will try others.

    • http://laranzjoe.blogspot.com lawrence77

      wow! thanks all are nice!

    • http://www.birgitengelhardt.de bee

      Same here, I will try some of them right now. Thank you!

  • http://pointandstare.com Lee Rickler

    With WP being used more and more as a CMS (rather than a simply blog) I would say that akismet is becoming less important.

  • Tony

    Absolutely essential? I don’t think so.

    • Kyle Decot

      Well of course none of them are “essential”. If they would essential then they would be built right into wordpress. I think you are taking the title a little too seriously. I thought this was a good article.

    • http://aithyne.net Lynn

      Few plugins are essential but many are nice to have. ;-)

      I really liked this article and I’ll be using a few of these myself. Thanks!

  • http://designomatt.com Matthew

    Great list as always; one comment though:

    IMHO, All in One SEO Pack is a must include on a WordPress install, even more so than a couple listed in this list. I think you can get by without smart quotes or even the Page-Navi, but SEO is a must in today’s market.

    • http://slaptheface.com/blog steve

      I agree. After installing the All in One SEO Pack I’ve seen many more hits from search engines.

      Great list, very useful. Thanks! I especially like the Custom More Link and the Page Navigation ones. Oh, and the different number of posts per page. There’s been times where I’ve needed all these features but gave up on it as I’m far from a programming genius.

  • http://codingpad.maryspad.com mary

    Thanks for this list, it’s one of the better ones that I’ve seen. Some of these I didn’t know about, such as the one to prevent self pings – will be very useful for me. I also like the security one.

    Thanks again!!

  • http://www.ree-she.com Rishi Luchun

    Nice, thanks for these

  • http://ficry.com paul

    I have a wordpress plugin question. I am attempting to create a back-end message board for all the writes that use the site. Is there a plug-in for that?

  • http://ficry.com paul

    writers*

  • http://ivorpadilla.com iPad

    Thanks, this is great… But this tut is repeated dude… I mean, c’mon

    • Sebastian

      uh, I’ve never seen it… so it’s new to me.

      Not everyone read’s blogs all day…

  • Meshach

    Thanks for this!

  • http://mikkeljuhl.com Mikkel

    Nice! Thanks, some of them have I never heard about.

  • http://www.equali.com Stephen Orsini

    great stuff here… thanks for the advice. Your site is very helpfull.

  • http://blog.insicdesigns.com insic

    WP Security Scan? cool i must try it.

  • http://headntails.net78.net/ Antony_256

    Subscribe to Comments is for old versions. Check out Comment Reply Notification for similar functionality. All the others rock!

  • http://www.acriddle.com Aaron Riddle

    Great list! I have a few installed but there are some that I was completely unaware of.

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  • http://www.devno.com devno

    great list
    now i have 4 new useful plugins
    Thx man!

  • http://www.funkyspacemonkey.com FSMdotCOM

    WP security Scan does a great job. it also tell you , that you need to change some permissions. try to change them and see if you can access the site anymore. and you cant change them back from the ftp client either. you need to go to cpanel or w/e and change them.

    i installed it, saw what it “recommends” me to do, and uninstall it. But that’s just me…. :)

  • http://samanthaarmacost.com Samantha Armacost

    Thanks for these plugins, some I was already using.

    I have been on the lookout for a comment reply notification plugin, the ones that I have tried fail to notify. However, this one uses a class of “wrap” which I also do, resulting in a rather awkward layout for the subscription manager. So if using a class of “wrap” in your theme be prepared to delve into the plugin’s php.

  • http://kiddmillennium.wordpress.com Ron Callari

    Trevor, thanks – excellent breakdown of plug-ins. But where did you find the DIGG plug-in… i’ve searched high and low for it – but can’t find it? Can you email me with some insight here?

  • http://www.ajaveeb.de/ Benni

    These are some nice plugins. I know most of them already, but some are new to me.

    Thanks for this list ;-)

    • http://laranzjoe.blogspot.com lawrence77

      your gravatar is amazing! :)

      • http://www.ajaveeb.de/ Benni

        Well, that´s just me :-D

      • http://laranzjoe.blogspot.com Lawrence77

        Oh, Nice!
        but why you are angry in this gravator?

  • http://www.bucktowndigital.com sergi bosch

    i was tres psyched when i saw your tweet about this.

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  • http://laranzjoe.blogspot.com lawrence77

    thanks man!
    good list!! :0

  • http://www.taddmencer.com Tadd

    I also use:

    Global Translator
    PageMesh
    Platimum SEO Pack
    WP Auto Tagger

    I use these on nearly all my sites and I use most of the plugs on this list with the exception of a few. A few that I’ll be adding to my list very soon! Thanks!

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  • http://www.quizzpot.com crysfel

    thank you!! i have some of them, but i’ll use some other, thanks again.

  • http://www.geekandtech.net/ Rainbow

    It misses Platinum Seo Pack! But, that’s a great list! Thanks ;)

    • http://www.freshclickmedia.com Shane

      I’ll second that.

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  • http://bohea.co.uk dixHuit

    I use a few of these already but will try the rest out.

    I always install the Tiny MCE Advanced plugin on any new WordPress sites – I find that the regular post editor always leaves clients wanting more.

    • http://parisvega.com/blog Paris Vega

      I agree. Tiny MCE Advanced should definitely be in this list.

  • http://www.swaymedia.com Sirwan

    more stuff like this please.

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  • http://twitter.com/saurabhshah saurabh shah

    wowww… nice list… !!!

  • Nate

    Thanks for the list!!!

  • Dave

    Although I use WP constantly, I haven’t seen all of these. Most “must have” lists look exactly like what I already use, so this is great. Thanks for some good ideas!

  • http://aardling.com/ Stijn

    I am glad to see all of the plugins I use are listed right here. Must mean I’m on to something good. Nice list.

  • http://twitter.com/printedproof christian

    great list!

  • milemann

    “Different Posts Per Page” is made by some strange guys. i’ve got tons of obscure spam since i test it.
    The same job (without spamming) make “Custom Query String Reloaded” by http://www.transycan.net/

    greetz
    mil

    • SX

      I second that. Beware.

    • http://eric.forsbergville.com Cobber99

      I third that. I installed “Different Posts Per Page” and now get a ton of SPAM from the author. Completely lame. SPAM from a plug-in author? There is a special ring of hell for this behavior. I tried “Custom Query String Reloaded” per milemann March‘s recommendation above and am much happier.

    • w1sh

      Sweet! Just when I was about to use it!

      GO Spam-Devils!

  • http://www.firewallender.com Cassie

    Thanks for the list!

  • http://www.pimpmywordpress.com Jerome

    Nice list, I think the all in One SEO Pack plugin should be added to the list.

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  • http://worldinternetsummitspeakers.com/blog Hans Kristian Anderson

    I think you have an excellent list

  • Kevon Garcia

    excellent post by my good friend Trevor Davis :) some of them I know about already and some of them I happened to come across now…

  • http://illosizzle.com joe

    My name is joe and i endorse this list*

    (well, a couple at least)

  • http://rcthegreatblog.com Rahul Chowdhury

    These plugins are great. I already use two-three of these and I will give the rest a try.

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  • http://www.philohermans.nl Philo

    Great List! :D

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