Quick WordPress Websites for Beginners: Step 6
Adding Plugins
We talked about plugins in the last step while installing Akismet, your spam protector.
The thing to understand about WordPress is that it's open source. Open source means that the program is free. It also usually means that it's open for editing and additions. WordPress is really a community project where many programmers work on little software add-ons called plugins.
WordPress supports this fully. In fact it also lists these plugins right on it's site. Currently there are over 12,000 available!
You can see them here:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
Now 12,000 might feel a little overwhelming. I often have clients and customers asking me what plugins I recommend to them. If you scroll down to the end of this report you'll notice I've attached a recommended plugin list. Feel free to browse through and see if there is anything that fits your needs. This is my personal list and it will get you started as you consider your options.
Now, on to adding those plugins once you choose them.
Let's go through the steps again:
- Next choose how you want to add a plugin. You can search the plugin directory if you don't know exactly what you want, or even if you do but don't have it on your computer. You can also upload a plugin from your computer. You would normally do this when you have a plugin your paid for.
- Once you've found your plugin you want to install click 'Install', then make sure you click 'Activate Plugin' to activate the plugin.
