Ever wondered how to supercharge your WordPress development skills? Well, ponder no more! Our list of advanced WordPress development plugins is specially curated for WordPress wizards looking to add a sprinkle of magic to their coding cauldron.
These handy helpers will not only streamline your coding process but also open up exciting possibilities for scalability and growth. So, buckle up and prepare to embark on a journey through the land of WordPress plugins where code becomes your canvas and imagination, your only limit.
Let’s make WordPress wizardry more fun and less of a puzzle!
Table of Contents
What Type of WordPress Development Plugins Developers Need
WordPress developers typically need plugins that enhance functionality, streamline development processes, and improve site performance. Here are key types of WordPress development plugins developers often use:
- Development tools to debug queries, hooks, and PHP errors.
- Version control and deployment tools to deploy themes and plugins easily.
- Code snippets and function tools to manage and run custom PHP code snippets.
- Performance testing tools to gain performance insights on query performance and slow queries.
- Database management plugins to provide a comprehensive set of tools for database management, including backup, optimization, and repair.
These WordPress development plugins are geared towards improving the development workflow, debugging, and extending WordPress capabilities from a developer’s point of view.
Best WordPress Development Plugins to Try
Elevate your WordPress development with these essential WordPress development plugins. From debugging and custom fields to performance optimization and deployment, these tools streamline workflows and enhance your development process.
InstaWP Connect
Transform your WordPress development and management with InstaWP Connect, a powerful tool designed to streamline the way you handle WordPress sites. Whether you’re deploying, staging, or migrating, InstaWP Connect simplifies the process, making it an essential asset for developers and agencies.
Core Features
- Effortlessly create and manage staging environments to test changes before going live.
- Integrate with Git for automatic updates and deployment of site changes.
- Migrate WordPress sites smoothly with minimal downtime and disruption.
- Work efficiently with team members using built-in collaborative features.
- Utilize ready-to-use templates that go live with a single click, saving time and effort.
Use Cases
InstaWP Connect is ideal for developers managing multiple WordPress sites, agencies handling client sites, and teams needing efficient staging and deployment workflows. It’s also perfect for those seeking to streamline site migrations and leverage pre-configured templates for quick launches.
User Experience and Design
InstaWP Connect offers a sleek, intuitive interface that makes managing WordPress sites straightforward. The platform’s user-friendly design ensures that developers can navigate staging, deployment, and migration processes with ease, providing a smooth and efficient experience.
Guide: InstaWP Connect Plugin | InstaWP Docs
Pricing Options
InstaWP Connect offers various pricing plans to suit different needs, from individual developers to larger agencies.
- Starter: $90/year
- Professional: $190/year
- Agency: $490/year
Query Monitor – The developer tools panel for WordPress
Revolutionize your WordPress development with Query Monitor, a comprehensive developer tools panel tailored just for WordPress. This robust WordPress development plugin provides the perfect solution for debugging a myriad of elements, making it an indispensable companion for WordPress developers.
Core Features
- Query Monitor offers notifications for slow, duplicate, and erroneous queries, including filtering options for type and responsible components.
- Showcases the template filename, the complete template hierarchy, and names of all template parts that were loaded or not loaded.
- Presents PHP errors along with their responsible components and call stack, along with a visible warning in the admin toolbar.
- Exposes blocks and associated properties within post content and full site editing (FSE).
- Inspection Displays HTTP API requests, including response code, responsible component, and time taken, with alerts for failed or erroneous requests.
Use Cases
WordPress developers can leverage Query Monitor to identify poorly performing plugins, themes, or functions by narrowing down its output by plugin or theme. It’s also useful for debugging Ajax calls, REST API calls, and user capability checks, offering useful insights for troubleshooting and improving website performance.
User Experience and Design
Query Monitor sports a user-friendly interface, presenting its information in an easy-to-understand manner. It integrates a handy admin toolbar menu that shows an overview of the current page, with complete debugging information displayed in panels upon selection, making it a breeze to navigate and operate.
Pricing Options
Query Monitor is a free WordPress development plugin available for download and use.
Debug Bar
Supercharge your WordPress website development process with the “Debug Bar” WordPress development plugin. This indispensable tool offers critical debugging information, making it an absolute necessity for developers who want to enhance their website’s functionality and performance.
Core Features
- A convenient debug menu in the admin bar that displays query, cache, and other beneficial debugging data.
- PHP Warnings and Notices Tracker keeps track of PHP Warnings and Notices, making them easier to identify and resolve.
- Tracker With SAVEQUERIES enabled, it monitors and displays mysql queries for better database management.
- Console Integration Enhance functionality by integrating with Debug Bar Console plugin for a comprehensive PHP/MySQL console.
- Extensibility numerous add-ons are available to provide deeper insights into Post Types, Shortcodes, WP Cron, Language file loading, Actions, Filters, and more.
Use Cases
The Debug Bar plugin is ideal for developers working on complex WordPress projects where tracking system queries, cache, and warnings is crucial. It would be particularly beneficial for large eCommerce sites, membership sites, or any website with a significant database load.
User Experience
The user-friendly interface of the Debug Bar WordPress development plugin makes it easy for developers to navigate and use. The customization options allow developers to tailor the WordPress development plugin to their specific debugging needs, making it an intuitive tool for enhancing productivity.
Pricing
The Debug Bar plugin is completely free to download and use, making it a cost-effective solution for developers seeking to optimize their WordPress websites.
User Switching
Enhance your WordPress site’s functionality with the User Switching plugin. This innovative WordPress development plugin enables you to effortlessly switch between user accounts, optimizing your testing environment, and enhancing customer service on WooCommerce sites.
Key Features
- Seamlessly switch to any user account from the Users screen.
- The quick switch-back feature lets you return to your original account with ease.
- Log out but retain the ability to switch back in instantly.
- Works well with Multisite, WooCommerce, BuddyPress, and bbPress.
- Implement the nonce security system ensuring only authorized users can switch accounts.
Use Cases
The User Switching plugin is excellent for developers testing functionality from different user perspectives. It’s also beneficial for administrators on membership sites, who often need to view the site from a member’s perspective. For e-commerce sites, it’s a valuable tool for customer service, allowing you to view and troubleshoot issues from a customer’s account.
User Experience
The WordPress development plugin offers an intuitive user experience, allowing developers to switch accounts from the Users menu seamlessly. The “Switch To” and “Switch back” options are easily accessible, making the process quick and efficient.
Pricing
The User Switching plugin is open-source and available for free. Developers can contribute or suggest improvements to the plugin through its WordPress support forum.
WP Crontrol
Take charge of your WordPress site’s functionality with WP Crontrol, an advanced plugin designed specifically for developers. This powerful tool allows you to manage, monitor, and manipulate cron events directly from your admin screens, enhancing the efficiency of your WordPress site.
Core Features
- View, edit, pause, resume, or run cron events instantly, giving you complete control over your site’s tasks.
- Addition Add new cron events with just a few clicks, simplifying task scheduling.
- Customize your cron schedules according to your specific needs, enhancing your site’s efficiency.
- Remove multiple cron events at once, making management more streamlined.
- Export and download cron event lists as CSV files, making data analysis and record keeping easier.
Use Cases
WP Crontrol can be a game-changer for e-commerce sites that rely on timed tasks for inventory updates, sales reports, or email marketing. News or blogging sites can use this plugin to schedule and manage content publishing, ensuring a consistent flow of new articles.
User Experience
WP Crontrol offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface, making it easy for developers of all levels to navigate and manage cron events. The plugin allows for high levels of customization, enabling developers to tailor cron schedules to their specific needs.
Pricing
WP Crontrol is a free plugin, available for download at WordPress.org. Being an open-source tool, it invites developers to contribute and improve its functionality.
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager
Discover a new level of efficiency in WordPress development with WPCode, a versatile code snippets plugin formerly known as “Insert Headers and Footers by WPBeginner”. This plugin breathes new life into your development process by simplifying the management of code snippets, making it a breeze to add custom functionalities to your WordPress sites without having to edit your theme’s files.
Core Features
- Add code snippets directly into your WordPress site’s header, footer, or other areas without having to edit your themes.
- Use WPCode to insert custom PHP, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and text snippets with full conditional logic support.
- Prevent common code errors using smart code snippet validation.
- Access a full code snippets library and code generators, saving your code snippets to the WPCode Cloud Library for easy re-use.
- Enjoy advanced features like conditional logic for code snippets, with both automatic code insertion and manual code output using shortcodes.
Use Cases
This plugin is perfect for developers managing multiple websites or working in a staging environment. If you are working on a project that requires repeated use of certain code snippets, WPCode allows you to save these snippets and easily apply them across different websites. It’s also ideal for sites that require custom functionalities added via headers and footers.
User Experience
WPCode offers an intuitive, beginner-friendly interface that makes adding and managing code snippets straightforward. Its smart code validation feature helps you avoid common mistakes, ensuring a smooth, error-free experience. With customization options, you can tailor the plugin to your specific needs, optimizing your workflow.
Pricing
While WPCode Lite offers plenty of powerful features for free, the Pro version offers even more, including smart conditional logic, saving code snippets to the cloud library, and deeper integration with popular plugins.
- Bundle: $349/year
- Pro: $199/year
- Plus: $99/year
- Basic: $49/year
Code Snippets
Boost your WordPress site’s functionality with the Code Snippets plugin. This plugin significantly enhances your site’s performance by providing added functionality without the clutter of unnecessary plugins.
Core Features
- The Code Snippets plugin offers a straightforward graphical interface for seamless integration and real-time execution.
- Activating and deactivating snippets is as uncomplicated as managing plugins, sans the bloat and overhead.
- CSS, JavaScript, Gutenberg, and Elementor integration with Code Snippets Pro for a comprehensive experience.
- The plugin includes full integration with the community-powered Code Snippets Cloud platform.
- Gain easy access to hundreds of tweaks and enhancements.
Use Cases
The Code Snippets plugin is ideal for developers seeking to enhance their WordPress site without the hassle of downloading multiple plugins. It can be particularly beneficial for websites demanding complex functionalities, requiring frequent tweaks, and desiring a clutter-free backend.
User Experience
The Code Snippets plugin offers an easy-to-navigate interface that allows developers to manage snippets with minimal effort. The plugin also offers customization options catering to specific needs, making it an intuitive tool for developers.
Pricing
While the base version of the Code Snippets plugin is free, developers can upgrade to Code Snippets Pro.
- Plus: $39/year
- Advanced: $79/year
- Professional: $149/year
- Unlimited: $299/year
Final Word
Start incorporating these advanced WordPress plugins into your development process today. They offer powerful features that can streamline your workflow, improve debugging, simplify code management, and enhance your site’s functionality. Plus, they come with easy-to-use interfaces, making them accessible to developers of all skill levels.
These plugins are designed to help you create and maintain high-performing, efficient WordPress sites. Take the first step towards superior WordPress development by trying out these fantastic plugins. The benefits are too great to ignore. Experience the difference today.