Themes and Plugins in WordPress
WordPress offers themes for designing your website and plugins for adding extra features. Understanding how they work will help you build a powerful and customized website.
1. Themes in WordPress
A theme controls the design, layout, and style of your WordPress site.
How to Choose and Install a Theme
- Go to Dashboard → Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
- Click “Add New” to browse available themes.
- Use the search bar or filters (popular, latest, featured).
- Hover over a theme and click "Preview" to see how it looks.
- Click "Install" and then "Activate" to apply the theme.
Popular Free & Paid Themes
🔹 Free Themes: Astra, OceanWP, Neve, GeneratePress
🔹 Premium Themes: Divi, Avada, Kadence, Flatsome
Customizing a Theme
- Go to Appearance > Customize to modify colors, fonts, layouts, and more.
- Some themes come with built-in settings for headers, footers, and sidebars.
2. Plugins in WordPress
A plugin adds extra functionality to your site, such as SEO, e-commerce, contact forms, and security.
How to Install a Plugin
- Go to Dashboard → Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for a plugin (e.g., "SEO" or "contact form").
- Click “Install Now”, then “Activate”.
- Configure the plugin under Settings or its dedicated menu.
Must-Have Plugins
✅ SEO: Yoast SEO, Rank Math
✅ Security: Wordfence, Sucuri
✅ Speed Optimization: WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache
✅ E-commerce: WooCommerce (for online stores)
✅ Page Builders: Elementor, Beaver Builder
✅ Backup: UpdraftPlus, Jetpack
Key Differences: Themes vs. Plugins
| Feature | Themes | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| Controls | Design & layout | Features & functionality |
| Example | Astra, Divi | Yoast SEO, Elementor |
| Installation | Appearance > Themes | Plugins > Add New |
| Customization | WordPress Customizer | Plugin settings |
Comments
Post a Comment