The Dangers of Building a Functional App with Multiple WordPress Plugins
Written By: Shane Clark on February 10, 2022
This article will cover the dangers and pitfalls of promising functionality by combining multiple WordPress plugins to achieve your functional requirements. As a Pittsburgh WordPress developer with over nine years of experience doing advanced WordPress theme development and plugins, I have seen some results that ended up as disasters. You can take steps to build a prototyped solution before adding the design elements to your built solution that can minimize risks. Even prototyping can only reduce, not eliminate, your risks in the end.
Mapping Out the Required Functionality
Once you have a high-level overview of the requirements for your project, you can begin to research what plugins can meet the needs of the project. The most crucial step is to map the functionality of the entire website and application. This mapping should be done so that a less technical user can fully understand how the site will function. I am a big fan of visual diagrams to demonstrate the possible user choices.
There are a few ways to map your project visually. I prefer annotated designs that are uploaded to the InVision app. A set of designs uploaded to InVision gives the technical specifications and helps understand the user experience.
The Importance and Limitations of Prototyping Your Solutions
While prototyping can be critical to making sure your solution initially works, keep in mind that as code updates, there is no guarantee the application will continue to function as expected. All that prototyping can do is minimize your risk for initial delivery. Once you have your prototyped solution in place, it should be tested in all possible scenarios. I will discuss this further as I cover the updates that will likely occur in the WordPress environment later in the article.
I ask for a few hours to look at a project that needs a quote. The proposal will likely be rushed if your client does not pay for the quote and the research time it takes to develop a viable solution. A big help is to have the time to research a proposed solution that is billable while in the quoting stage. If there is not an amount allocated for research, you may be wasting your time.
Factoring in PHP, WordPress Core, and Plugin Updates
Disabling updates can impact the health and security of your website. It is essential to understand that as PHP versions, WordPress core, and plugin updates, you run the risk that these updates can break or impair the functionality of your website. It would be best if you avoid disabling plugin & WordPress core updates. In the rare event you need to disable updates to keep a WordPress site up and going; you should look for a solution as quickly as possible.
Proposed Functionality vs. a Promise of Delivery
Suppose you are proposing a solution utilizing multiple WordPress plugins. In that case, it should be evident and in writing that what you are offering is a proposed solution. It should not be considered a promise of functional delivery. If the exact solution has not been previously implemented, it will be essential to state that within your initial proposal. You should state this in a clear way that leaves no doubt to your audience. It is essential to avoid misunderstandings later. Therefore, you should make all parties aware that your offer is merely a proposed solution at this point.
Looking for Solutions Outside of WordPress
WordPress is often the least expensive solution due to the pre-existing functionality that plugins provide. However, alternatives should be provided that can 100% ensure the delivery of a functional solution. You should make these alternatives available even if they have a higher cost. Here are some good alternative current standards for delivering web-based applications that, while more costly on hours, can pretty much guarantee the delivery of a viable project: ReactJS, React Native, Typescript, NodeJS, Vue, and Go.
Understanding the Difficulty of Plugin Support with Multiple Plugin Developers
Another thing to keep in mind is the limitation of support when implementing multiple plugins. The plugin developers will most likely not be able to take ownership of their code, causing the issue in this type of environment. I have seen many cases where one plugin developer will blame anything but their own code. It’s easy for a plugin developer to point fingers at another plugin that the app developer implemented. There may be a code conflict from the other plugin.
Get Feedback from Technical Forums
It may be the case that another developer has already dealt with the solution you are trying to implement. I find it good to start with the forums of the plugins you plan to use. The specific plugin forums will have a more relevant audience that will probably be more knowledgeable. The extra step of asking for guidance can ensure you have done your due diligence.
Understanding Inherent Software Functionality
Another thing to keep in mind is all the plugins’ inherent functionality. Inherent functionality is a fancy way of saying the software will function “as is” within the limitations on any setting available in the plugin. Too many times have I heard “you were the one who recommended it.” A recommendation needs to make clear that there is a dependency on a 3rd party.
An example of the promise related to inherent functionality would be Gravity Forms. Gravity Forms is the most popular form creation plugin available for WordPress. Do I promise Gravity Forms will continue to function until the end of time? What happens in the (very unlikely) event that Gravity Forms goes out of business? When dealing with plugins, all parties need to understand that each plugin functions “as is”. There should be no promise of continued functional delivery.
Summary
While WordPress and the plugins in the WordPress repository provide a vast array of functionality, it is important to make sure all parties understand any limitations.It’s easy to get disappointed clients because of multiple plugins not playing well together in a web app. However, professional WordPress web app development in Pittsburgh can help solve many of the issues that may be preventing your digital business from flourishing. Contact Shane today to get started.
