chriscoyier

How WordPress Plugins Should Handle Front End Resources

This is a WORK IN PROGRESS intended for fleshing out and feedback

It's very common for people to be unhappy with how a WordPress plugin adds front end resources to their site. If a plugin needs CSS, the plugin will add a <link> element to that CSS. If the plugin needs JavaScript, it will add a <script> to that JavaScript.

Plugins do this because it works. It's damn important for a WordPress plugin to work, even in adverse conditions. They rightfully want good ratings and little customer support.

But this comes at the cost of additional HTTP requests. In optimizing front end performance of a site, reducing the number of HTTP requests is a huge thing. Front end developers want to decide and control how front end resources are being handled, and WordPress plugins don't typically make this easy on them.

generatepress

add_filter( 'generate_header_element_display', function( $display ) {
	if ( ! has_post_thumbnail() ) {
		return false;
	}
	
	return $display;
} );

joedooley

<?php

/**
 * Filters the API mode for a specific form to 'test'.
 *
 * @param $api_mode string Either 'test' or 'live'
 *
 * @return string Returns 'test' for targeted form. Otherwise,
 *                will return the value for the $api_mode setting.
 */

alexkingorg

<?php

/**
 * Change the brightness of the passed in color
 *
 * $diff should be negative to go darker, positive to go lighter and
 * is subtracted from the decimal (0-255) value of the color
 * 
 * @param string $hex color to be modified
 * @param string $diff amount to change the color

jeherve

<?php
/*
 * Plugin Name: Exclude the asmodeus category from Jetpack Subscriptions
 * Plugin URI: http://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/
 * Description: Exclude the asmodeus category from Jetpack Subscriptions
 * Author: Jeremy Herve
 * Version: 1.0
 * Author URI: http://jeremyherve.com
 * License: GPL2+
 */