I hope this is not a stupid question, but how does it come that WordPress themes that you can usually buy or download free version gives you the opportunity to use any plugin and widget on your website but on a custom website you are not able to do this? Is there any tutorial that shows you how to use any pllugin in custom themes?
I am asking because why should i create my OWN plugins… instead of using excisting plugins.
Can somebody clarify me the difference between a theme and a custom wordpress theme?
I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to use plugins with a custom theme. I build custom themes and add plugins for my clients all the time.
But if you want to use widgets in a custom theme, you have to set up the areas for the widgets to be inserted which involves adding code to the functions.php file.
If the custom theme does not have widgetized areas, you would not be able to use widgets.
Thank you for your answer! Thats great… thats correct i want to use plugins only widgets are not needed because i will remove widgets within the functions.php what i would like to know how will the plugins know where to be loaded or placed… thats the only thing i am stuck with.
Put any plugins in the /wp-content/plugins/ folder (or download them in the dashboard under Plugins > add new) just like any theme and activate them in the dashboard under the “plugins” menu item.
There are ways to require plugins and include them in your theme too.
Each plugin comes with instructions as to how to integrate into the website. Many of them use shortcodes, which are phrases inside that you place in the edit area of the page where you want it to show up.
By instructions and shortcodes you mean the PHP code to implent in the sidebar for example to show up and basically any place on the website am i right?
Sometimes, but often to make it easier for users that are not comfortable going into the actual files, they give you something like [new-plugin-1] to paste right into your text area instead of having to paste a line of PHP code in the file.
