WordPress Performance and Optimization: Ready-Made Plugins vs. Custom Development

by Vipe Team in WordPress Development; Published on 19.01.2023 Last updated on 26.05.2023

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Howdy, guys! Welcome to our Enterprise WordPress Agency for Development’s latest article – we bet you were just searching for what to read about next. Glad to help – join us as we are about to discuss ready-made plugins vs. custom development in the context of WordPress’s performance and optimization!

If we’re sounding too hyped up it’s because we are – custom development has always been our primary source of passion and what we do best in our Enterprise WordPress Agency for Development. It’s like art really – we think of the whole process, imagine it in our heads and then do whatever it takes with the power of skills and influence to come up with the best solutions in terms of functionality, scalability, design and stability for each of our client’s web projects.

custom development

Plugins are and always have been a hot topic of discussion in regard to all things WordPress-related. Indeed, one of the aspects the CMS is most popular for is truly the plugin repository and usage – ready-made plugins are up to anyone’s disposal who is willing to enhance a platform’s functionality at maximum. But can they really live up to anyone’s highest standards?

In today’s article, we’d like to visit the matter of ready-made plugins, custom development and all things in between. When are ready-made plugins suitable, what differentiates them from custom-made plugins and how can websites in general benefit greatly from WordPress custom development? If some or all of those questions interest you, then we suggest you stick to that page and continue reading.

Let’s get started.

Plugins Usage in the Context of WordPress Performance and Optimization

We are all well aware of the fact that WordPress is the world’s most popular CMS, powering over 40% of the world’s websites altogether. Now that’s something!

Along with all its benefits that get people to choose WordPress as the go-to website development platform, plugins definitely shape up a big part of the whole reasoning process. Those handy add-ons allow users to quickly add nearly endless features and functionalities to their website, making it more interactive, customer-friendly and “out there”. So it’s no wonder why so many people these days direct their attention to the plugin repository in an attempt to find the best solution for their platform.

The truth is, there are ready-made plugins out there that can instantly fulfill any website owner’s wish, desire and need – and their visitors’ as well. Just browsing through the catalogs, you’ll soon discover there is a plugin for everything website-related: We have security plugins, calendars, email marketing, blogging tools, SEO add-ons, tools for utility, images and videos, etc. – virtually anything one could think of.

At first, businesses may not find a particular reason whatsoever as to why the usage of ready-made plugins’ might arise certain concerns. After all, it appears like just a quick install and setup process can add numerous advantages to our platform.

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The truth is, however, that business owners and developers together need to pay extra attention to the widespread plugin usage. While ready-made add-ons are certainly a very good option for SMEs (later we’d discuss how this question goes in terms of enterprise websites), there are still certain aspects that need our undivided attention.

Just recently we posted an article that had to do with the plugin issue – in it, we discussed some pieces of advice and good practices when it comes to the addition of extra features to the website.

In a nutshell, we mentioned that downloading the wrong plugins may quickly lead to decreased levels of performance and optimization due to slowed speed, malware, security breaches and lack of functionalities. In general, users and developers should always aim at adding plugins that are regularly maintained, updated, secure and optimized in terms of loading time and resource usage.

Of course, when we are referring to SMEs’ websites and blogs, for example, using ready-made plugins proves to be a great way to further enhance the platform’s interactivity and functionality. After all, plugins add a sense of value and impeccable customer experience – aspects all websites reach out for. In that sense, WordPress is yet again the best place to be since it truly offers a plethora of useful plugins that can quickly turn into the much-needed web development aspect. If they’re chosen correctly and thoughtfully, that is.

However, there are certain instances where ready-made plugins fail to deliver up to the highest standards.

For example, when we are referring to enterprise-level websites, usually businesses have elevated expectations and needs that often require specific customization and features personalization. In those cases, web developers often opt for custom development – it’s by far the best approach when it comes to enterprise websites in terms of speed, impeccable performance and dazzling customer experience.

Enterprise-Level Organizations Truly Need Fast-Loading Websites With Excellent Performance

Nowadays businesses are most definitely located online due to customers’ shopping behavior, patterns and preferences. That said, it’s really a no-brainer as to why enterprise-level organizations need top-notch websites that are able to withstand huge amounts of traffic, multiple purchases and numerous browsing sessions while also being constantly up to the highest standard in terms of speed, functionality, lack of bugs and mishaps and production.

Let’s take a WooCommerce online shop as an example. These days online shopping platforms are truly a big hit since people see hundreds of benefits in purchasing their desired items and service whenever and from wherever.

In some cases, the plugins can actually further slow down the loading speed of a website which could then interfere with the overall customer experience and affect people’s purchasing attempts in a negative way.

If we, for instance, want to add a social media button that goes with various items and services (in this digital era, we all want sometimes to share with friends what we’ve laid our eyes on), this could potentially slow down the page’s loading speed since it interferes with the website’s front-end. The more items the website needs to load or display, the slower the whole process becomes.

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In cases like these, the developers can opt for some useful ways that would help in elevating the website’s performance and optimization:

Getting rid of unused plugins is always a good option – many times people get to add plugins to their website thinking this would further boost the platform’s productivity; only later do they come to the realization that the said plugin is not really in use. Most of the time, we tend to forget about unused add-ons and leave them be – however, this further slows down the website and bugs its optimization processes. Getting rid of what we no longer use is perhaps the best go-to strategy.
Updating the plugins is also a must – usually, the plugin updates take care of the plugin’s security and optimization features, making it light and increasing the overall speed and optimization.
Overusing plugins also proves to be a reason behind poor optimization – the fewer plugins your website uses, the faster it will get.

As we can see, plugins have indeed a wide specter of usage – when it comes to adding them to SMEs or blogs, they could really be the best option, as opposed to using them in enterprise-level websites when speed and elevated optimization is everything.

So how are we supposed to have the full set of functionalities and desired integrations in enterprise websites without them interfering with the platform’s sustainability and optimization? Here comes the custom development!

Custom development – a WordPress Universe Full of Possibilities

Our Enterprise WordPress Agency for Development calls custom development, our renowned and most sought-after service, a universe full of possibilities. And it’s true – just imagine how many things could be easily achieved through the power of code!

Custom development is a WordPress service that allows professional developers to code out everything website-based in order to achieve a tailored and personalized business experience. Regardless of whether you are a big media and publisher enterprise, a WooCommerce store or just a platform showcasing the business’s services and products, custom development allows you to stand out among competitors and shine bright for who you truly are.

When it comes to plugin usage, custom development even allows web development experts to write a plugin specifically made for your website and tailored to your specific needs in terms of speed, functionality and optimization. No more stock add-ons – custom plugins are the best way for enterprises to achieve amazing results and end up with a truly scalable and sufficient platform.

What’s more, custom development even allows developers to tailor the website with all its specifications and integrations without the need for plugin usage at all. Instead of opting for premade plugins hoping they would do the trick, businesses can (and should) decide upon a custom approach for having all their needs and expectations met. Here are just a handful of custom development’s benefits.

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Custom Development Increases Website Functionalities

Each website is different. That said, it’s sometimes pivotal for the developer to provide very specific aspects in terms of both functionality and design in order for the platform to be tailored for the enterprise in particular. While ready-made plugins could experience difficulties in the field, custom development allows developers to create the exact functionalities that meet all criteria and requirements.

It Allows Elevated Levels of Personalization

Custom development also allows businesses to end up with the exact site they have hoped for due to WordPress’s numerous personalization options and approaches. Any website can be easily and effortlessly personalized and customized in a way that fully answers the whole brand’s identity and overall feeling. All thanks to custom development.

Custom Development Nurtures the SEO Aspect

Search engine optimization is crucial for enterprise websites – the great news is that custom development can truly enhance the SEO aspect of any platform without the developers having to add plugins that do the work. Anything from site design, content, internal and external links, metadata and URLs can be tailored and custom-built in order to answer SEO’s best practices.

When Being Custom-Made, the Website Shows Better Results in Responsiveness

We are all well aware of responsive design’s importance nowadays when pretty much everybody accesses their favorite websites via various mobile devices. Every platform should be conducted in a way that aims at impeccable responsiveness regardless of the used device. Custom development proves to be the best web development approach since it allows up-front communication with the developers and implementing changes in real-time – this always ensures a smooth development process and bug-free experience, regardless of the field of expertise.

As you can see, going custom has numerous benefits when it comes to website creation – we’ve just managed to cover some of the very basics. In the context of ready-made plugins, while they could be extremely beneficial for a platform’s elevated functionality, they could also turn out to be the sole reason behind slowing down and occasional malfunctions.

On the other hand, custom development, when done by professionals, allows businesses to include all the needed integrations and functionalities to their websites without the excessive need for additional software.

Choose Custom Development for Your Website and Give It a Chance to Shine Bright

Our Enterprise WordPress Agency for Development is here for all things custom development-related – do not hesitate to reach out and discuss with us your next business aspiration or enterprise planning.

Owning a dedicated online space for your brand has proven to be the best strategy when it comes to visibility and credibility. Adding custom development to the service can drastically enhance any platform’s performance and optimization. Start today!