Install WordPress plugin clearly explained

Install WordPress plugin

How do I install a plugin in WordPress? What do I have to consider and what options do I have in WorPress? Some content management systems offer their users the option of installing plugins via the administration interface with just a few clicks. However, other systems strictly stipulate that extensions can only be activated via the source code. This article explains in a comprehensible way which three different procedures are offered to you to install plugins in WordPress.

Install WordPress plugin but how?

In WordPress, plugins can be installed via the administration area. There is also the option of installing extensions from the official WordPress repository or uploading your own/purchased plugins. In addition, downloaded extensions can also be uploaded via the file system (via FTP, SFTP or SSH) and later activated via the admin area. Now let’s look at the different approaches in detail.

Install the WordPress plugin via the administration area

1. First log in to WordPress with your personal access data
2. Choose the in the menu Plugins tab out of. Now you get the overview page of the installed extensions
3. Then click on the button To install. Now you will be redirected to the official WordPress plugin repository
4. Now use the search function to search for the wordpress extension, that you want to install. At this point, let’s take the NinjaForms plugin to create contact forms
5. The search function is automatically triggered when typing.
6. After the search results have been loaded, you can select your respective WordPress plugin by pressing the button Install now download
7. Then the plugin only has to be activated. To do this, click on the activate button

Now let’s take a look at how we install premium extensions or general plugins from external sources in WordPress.

1. After you are logged into your WordPress, navigate back to the Plugins menu item
2. Then click on the Install button
3. As soon as you are on the search page, the new button will appear at the top of the page Upload plugin
4. As soon as you click this button, a form for uploading files will appear
5. At this point, upload your WordPress plugin in a ZIP archive
   For extensions from the envato marketplace (Themeforest & Codecanyon), the respective ZIP archive must first be unpacked. Then there is another archive in the unzipped files, which can be uploaded to WordPress
6. You can then activate and use the uploaded plugin

Install WordPress plugin via the file system

For developers, the variant is Plugins via the file system very popular because you can test extensions locally and then play them on the live system using version management, for example.

1. Log in to your web server with your access data using an FTP program
2. Navigate to the directory where your WordPress is located
3. Then open the wp-content and plugins folder
4. Now upload the folder with your plugin files to the plugins directory. Please note that you are not holding up the ZIP archive at this point

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Hello, my name is Jan Heitmeier, I studied business informatics and am a passionate web developer. I live in Paderborn and have been working there as a freelance WordPress developer for several years. In addition to the implementation of individual design templates, I deal with the programming of individual WordPress themes and plugins. In addition, I implement eCommerce projects with the WordPress shop extension WooCommerce.