If you use 20 plugins in your WordPress project, you don't have a website. You have a time bomb.
There is a pattern that repeats itself among beginner WordPress developers: They stack plugins as if they were a magic solution to any problem.
Spoiler: this destroys projects.
I’ve already found a website with 30 active plugins. Thirty. No concerns about performance, dependency conflicts or security risks. Just a naive belief that “the more plugins, the better”.
That’s not how it develops. This is gambiarra disguised as productivity.
If you don’t understand what a plugin does — and install it anyway — you’re taking risks you don’t even know exist.
- Redundant code
- Security flaws
- Unpredictable behaviors
- Slow and difficult to maintain websites
The truth? Those who master WordPress don’t install plugins. Think about architecture.
- Evaluates impact, performance and security
- Resolve with your own code whenever possible
- Use plugins as an exception, not as a rule
Do you want to evolve as a dev? So stop looking for shortcuts. Study the core. Understand what’s behind the cute admin. Installing a plugin without understanding it is outsourcing responsibility. And sooner or later, the bill arrives.
Have you ever needed to put out a fire caused by too many plugins? I already. Several times. And today, my filter is strict.