TL;DR
- Custom code breaks more easily. Every major WordPress release is another chance for it to stop working.
- Webmaster For Hire doesn’t build custom tools or features. We use well-maintained plugins and services instead.
- Complicated setups cause trouble either way. Fully custom builds take months, and patching tools together with extra plugins leads to plugin creep.
- If nothing existing does what you need, we’ll tell you up front.
What Custom Code Means
Custom code is programming written just for your website. The alternative is a plugin (an add-on) that many sites use and its developer keeps updated.
A well-maintained plugin gets updated by its developer as WordPress changes. Custom code only gets fixed if someone you pay goes back and fixes it.
Why We Avoid It
- Updates break it. Major WordPress releases change how things work behind the scenes. Custom code written for the old way can stop working after an update. That risk is a big reason we don’t build custom features. See How Often Should I Update WordPress and My Plugins?
- Time and money. A fully custom setup can take months to build, and you’ll pay to maintain it for as long as you have it.
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends Instead
The goal is the simplest setup that works. Getting a pile of tools to talk to each other without a custom build is hard, and plugins start stacking up to cover the gaps. That’s plugin creep, and every one of those plugins needs updating and securing. So we start simple:
- A well-maintained plugin that fits the need. Someone else keeps it updated.
- A no-code tool you can run yourself. For example, an online form service. They give you a short piece of code to add to your site, and you manage the form in their dashboard.
- A simple manual step. Sometimes doing one thing by hand beats building and maintaining a feature.
What If No Plugin Does What I Need?
We’ll tell you. Webmaster For Hire doesn’t build custom tools, apps, or features. Often a different service or a simple manual step covers the need.
Small code changes are a different thing, like adjusting a layout your theme can’t handle on its own. We make those on a development site (a private copy of your site), so your live site isn’t affected. See What Is a Staging Site, and Do I Need One?
Common Questions
Do You Build Custom Forms or Databases?
No. We use well-maintained plugins and online form services instead. Their developers keep them updated, so you aren’t paying to maintain custom code.
Can My Site Still Have Special Features?
Yes. Many special features already exist as well-maintained plugins or services. We find the one that fits and set it up.
Need a Feature Your Site Doesn’t Have?
Request a consultation and tell us what you want your site to do. We’ll find the simplest way to get there.
