For some time now in a few WordPress circles, there have been discussions on being able to find plugins that are nothing but a standalone widget. I even wanted to set up a “widget store” back when I was working for DevPress. That idea was never fully fleshed out. But, I’d still like to have a way to install just widgets.
After hearing this discussion on one of the WPCandy podcasts last night (forgot which one), I started thinking of solutions. Now, I would like to propose some changes for the WordPress plugin repository.
Step #1: Get plugin developers involved
WordPress.org has no real mechanism in place to let us see plugins that are just a widget. Therefore, I propose that the community step up and make this happen. With that in mind, I’m unofficially declaring the widget-only tag be used in all plugins that are only a widget.
How would you add this to your plugin?
All plugins in the repository are required to have a readme.txt file with some important information the repository needs for setting things up. Let’s take a look at the readme.txt file a widget-only plugin of mine called Query Posts (yes, it needs some update love).
=== Query Posts ===
Contributors: greenshady
Donate link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3687060
Tags: widget, pages, posts, sidebar, page
Requires at least: 3.0
Tested up to: 3.0.1
Stable tag: 0.3.2There’s a line for “Tags” that allows plugin authors to input tags for their plugins. So, to update my plugin, I’d change the line to the following.
Tags: widget-only, widget, pages, posts, sidebar, pageIf you’re a plugin developer who has some widget-only plugins, would you use this tag?
Step #2: Make widget-only plugins visible to users
We need to get some support from the higher-ups to put a link to the widget-only tag somewhere on the front page of the plugin repo.
Users need a way to easily find widget-only plugins. Most of them won’t know about this tag, so just having an easily-discoverable link could help tremendously.
Steps #3,4,5,…: See where it takes us
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. I’d like to see some support put behind this proposal before we start making huge plans. There are some questions that need to be answered first, such as how popular this feature will be and whether users actually like standalone widgets.
But, folks like me can always dream for now. ↓
Update: Looks like the movement has begun.
I think this would be extremely useful. Searching for widgets is currently a huge pain and there is definitely a need for more simplified/focused plugins in the repo. This is something we’ve been thinking about recently at our Boston WordPress meetups and this is certainly a step in the right direction.
Great idea, I’d love to see this implemented =D
Great idea, but I do not agree with the examples being shown in the image (unless I am not understanding their utility, see below for my plugin definitions). Given the examples I would switch the tag to
plugin-only. Perhaps its just semantics but let me explain a bit further …The WordPress Extend Plugin repository hold a great many “plugins” and “widgets”; and, I think there can be a definitive difference between these two types of code constructs.
IMHO: A “plugin” simply adds functionality, there is no mechanism involved to add output into a widget area of a theme. Whereas a “widget” is primarily designed to add functionality to a theme by way of adding additional output(s) often found in a widget area of a theme, or perhaps via a shortcode.
Given these ideas as possible definitions is there still a utility to adding an additional tag? Yes … as I absolutely agree there should be a way to identify this functionality without having to download and/or install the plugin first.
Are you saying that you want three distinct “entities” (for lack of a better term), which are all installed separately like so?
/wp-content/themes)/wp-content/plugins)/wp-content/widgets)If so, I could definitely get behind a project like that. But, I’d say that’s a long way off from being a reality.
Three separate entities as noted? Yes, I could get behind that idea … and I also agree it’s a long way off as well.
I only brought up the idea of different constructs to better define the “new” tag idea versus revamping the core directory structure and how plugins/widgets are added and maintained.
The more I think about this new “entity” the more complex it appears to implement … but a great discussion idea all the same.
Love the idea. I’ll try and get all my widget only plugins updated this week
I’ll do the same. I need to update my example plugin from the post above anyway.
I think it’s a great idea. Just a tag? yup, that’s easy enough.. I’d do it.
Wouldn’t this be easily accomplished with tags in the plugin? The interface would be the same as your suggestion, but I don’t know that we need to change plugins at all to accomplish that. Am I missing something?
That’s what I’m proposing — using the current tags system that’s already in place. It doesn’t require any changes to the plugin other than adding a tag to its
readme.txtfile.Great idea!
I just updated 2 widget plugins of mine with it!
Here’s the current tag:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/widget-only
C’mon people, please add your tags
Just added the tag to mine…
This is an excellent idea, even if everyone used the current “widget” tag.
From a user perspective, they do not see plugins and widgets as the same thing. They think “I need a widget to do X”.
Giving them a way to click “widgets here” would be…. +100.
Make a note to bring it up at the summit?
I love the idea, my first thought though which I cant seem to get around is, why doesn’t the current widget tag work by itself? why is widget-only needed when there is already widget?
Don’t we just need to change our understanding of what widget means? instead of adding a new widget-only tag?
Just saying, maybe Im missing something. But I like the idea and I get it.
I wondered the same thing at first… the widget tag should be included with a plugin that does whatever it does AND includes or adds a widget to the sidebar. So those plugins would still need the widget tag.
The new widget-only tag would be for plugis that are widgets only.
Both the “widget” and “widgets” tag are currently used by 1,000s of plugins, most of which include more than just a widget. It’s much easier for us to get this rolling by just using a tag that was not in use and allows us to separate widget-only plugins from plugins that have widgets.
This is an excellent idea, and I’m glad to see that there’s a built in option to get this started right away.
Would love to see that filter option in the backend, but if I understand the screenshot example correctly, it might make more sense to list “Widgets” as “Widget-Only” for WordPress users to understand the difference between normal plugins and widget-only plugins.
Great idea:)
Now all I have to do is make a widget-only plugin. Grrreat idea.
I just want to throw in the thread Add multiple plugin directories.
There is also a public repository on GitHub, waiting for testers and contributors: https://github.com/chrisguitarguy/WP-Plugin-Directories
Hi people, I’m the one who asked the question over at WPSE. Chris promized to move the repo over to me. So you’ll find the most current updates in the following repo [1]. Please keep in mind, that this is free software, so I’m not updating too often. The current release is stable and I use it myself. Some minor updates will come in the following weeks.
[1] https://github.com/franz-josef-kaiser/WP-Plugin-Directories
Anytime I have made a widget only plug-in one of the first user feedback I get is something like:
The widget is a rate is great but can put this on my posts.
That is why anything I make with a widget normally comes with a shortcode too
Some people still prefer not to use widgets. I am one of them. I have yet found a widget that I can make look the way I want it to. So no, I don’t agree with this.
I’ll be adding a “widget-only” tag or a “plugin-only” tag to my plugins with their next updates. I believe for the “widget-only” tag to really have weight, its counterpart “plugin-only” should also be used.
I will likely be applying these new tags under the premise that any “shortcode” functionality included with a “widget-only” plugin does not affect its designation.
For example, from my library of plugins in the repository:
- widget-only: BNS Featured Category, BNS Corner Logo
- plugin-only: BNS Login, BNS Inline Asides
Great proposal with solid recommendations.
widget-onlyit is (for now at least)!Your idea is clever. I have updated my ol’ widget on WordPress.org. It now has the
widget-onlytagGreat proposal, it’s clever!
I am all for clarity.
I loved Edward Caissie’s idea for three separate repositories, but, like you said, one step at a time to make a difference.
Thanks for leading and challenging the WordPress community. This is one of those areas that needs to be revisited.
Just added the tag, thanks
Thanks for sharing such wonderful information as searching of wordpress standalone widgets is not too easy..
Updating my Camera+ widget now.
Thanks Justin that he did a great job
great work clever thinking . its a new idea for every one great work
Hi Justin, great post.. I have made all the changed from this article and all works great