Plugins are essential software applications that extend the features and functions of the webpage allowing you to build any kind of website. As such an important tool for creating a website, having the plugins are vital. But how many plugins are too many plugins? Alpha Efficiency will discuss and explain the issues of having too many plugins and how that impacts website performances.

The quantity of needed plugins depends on the size and type of your website and the server performances of web hosting providers. With more than 50 000 plugins available, choosing the most useful one can be challenging. An excessive number of plugins can damage your site's performance so you should install only the ones that support optimal website functioning.  

Before determining which plugins are suitable for your website, consider the issues your website could face with too many plugins.

Too many plugins accrue a slow response time and obscure functionality. The speed and utility of the website are crucial in engaging customers, and consequently conversion rate. Extra plugin means bloated storage space and compatibility issues as not every plugin is coded equally. Plugin type is another factor that impacts site speed. The speed of your site should give you an idea of the number of details your site includes. Plugins that run in the back-end such as admin (back up and editorial) will affect the site speed less, but those that run in the front-end will significantly reduce performance due to additional HTTP and database requests. Hence, the ways that plugins affect site speed are HTTP requests, database queries, and size. Each additional HTTP request requires a web browser to send a website server data request. More plugins implicate more HTTP requests and usage of server resources. WordPress is a content management system that functions on a database. Website speed is affected by the size of the database. Reducing and uninstalling sufficient plugins often remains leftovers gathered in the database. 

Plugins that can clear WordPress caches and databases, and reduce the HTTP request are useful for optimizing performances.

Malfunctions take place with redundant plugins and internal server errors. Even the uninstalled plugins can leave consequences. Many plugins are bad in quality and have malicious scripts within codes. The result of these poorly-coded plugins are website crashes and bugged downs. The incompatibility of different plugins can also make the site malfunction. The opportunity for such conflict increases with the larger number of installed plugins. Consolidating plugins is accomplished with fewer plugins.

Plugins are a good way to achieve WordPress security from malicious attacks, malware infections, and branches. By choosing quality secure hosting, your word press will have heightened protection that won't cause malfunctions. But, the website cluster with various plugins has an increased security vulnerability. Neglected and not updated plugins make the site more hackable.

Without plugins,  constructing a quality website would be difficult. Web press can perform without plugins but is limited. The benefits of plugins are the ability to upgrade the functionality of your website immediately and without any technical knowledge or engagement of an experienced developer. The right plugins can improve usability by optimizing content for a better user experience. Various plugins are related to business marketing and can enhance and support business marketing strategies.

Websites overcrowded with unnecessary plugins tend to have a problem with image disappearance, content that doesn`t load, and other sets of problems. Remain the number of plugins optimal with only useful and quality ones.

When choosing the plugins pay attention to popularity and quality, because many plugins are unreliable due to the lack of development support, and updates and remain unresolved. 

Consider the option that there might be a single plugin with multiple functions that could replace three plugins. 

The best practice in the effort to avoid too many plugins is prevention.