What is a plugin? Computer add-ons

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A plugin is an addition to an application that expands the original functionality.

Plugins, in simple words, are such additions to ready-made programs that are written, as needed, to add some separate option that is useful to users.

Plugins cannot work on their own and must be specific to an application. At the same time, the main software functions independently; it has the ability to add one or more plugins, update or delete them. And this will not affect the performance of the program in any way.

As a familiar example, we can name Adobe Flash Player. This is an add-on for Internet browsers that allows you to view information created in Flash formats.

Add-ons are developed for completely different areas and themes.
For graphics programs There are many built-in filters, such as image processing. A common type of add-on is to expand the list of file formats that an application can work with. We use it every day postal services, there are also many functions implemented this way, for example, spam checking.
Function extensions for Internet-related programs and applications are in great demand. These are cms (content management systems), browsers. Below we will take a closer look at which plugins are needed for websites in the first place.

What are plugins used for?

Plugins help solve the following problems:

Simplifying the development of the basic version of the program

Initially, you can release a small, compact program with the aim that all the modifications to the functions can be added separately later. This helps optimize time and resource costs.

This saves memory on the user devices on which the application will be deployed and has a positive effect on operating speed.

Likewise, the ability to select the desired set of options saves work space. Not everyone needs to have access to viewing the weather, posters, Bitcoin rates and other useful information every minute.

Taking into account individual needs

The second point concerns everyone’s personal preferences. This means that a person can install a set of plugins according to his needs and tastes.

Expansion of program functionality

Additional features allow you to make the software more flexible. If you need a specific plugin, you connect it, modify it, or even write it from scratch and get the desired working system. There is no need to wait for new updates, ask developers to expand functionality and sometimes wait for years.

List of the most popular SEO plugins

There are huge libraries of plugins that are needed for the site: improvements to cms functions, SEO promotion. Using the example of the most popular engine for creating websites and blogs, WordPress, let’s look at how limitless the possibilities of optimizers become.
Usually, basic set What a website management system can do is modest and limited. I want to expand and supplement everything, from a basic text editor to the ability to collect and process analytics.
Most website plugins can be installed free of charge. Some of them have advanced features for money.

1. All In One SEO Pack

Popular plugin For optimization site with a large number of installations and reviews.

Allows you to carry out all the required meta tag settings, set canonical URLs, set the title for the page, category, tags and other types of content on your Internet resource.
There is a paid premium version.

Yoast SEO, WordPress SEO Plugin, SEOPress have approximately the same set of options.

Positioned as powerful plugins for optimizing your SEO, increasing traffic, increasing social exchange, allow you to create HTML and XML maps site, bread crumbs, configure 301 redirects and much more.

Which one is better to choose? Read reviews and forums.
There is an important factor when working with add-ons - the security of your site. According to statistics, a large number of hacking is carried out precisely through third party services. Therefore, the degree of risk and convenience is up to you to assess.

2. For those who are just starting to get acquainted with SEO there is a lot positive feedback about Local Search SEO Contact Page.

This is a compact application that at the initial stage solves all the basic problems for promoting your resource, allows you to link buttons and widgets of social networks, QR codes, geolocation data and more.

3. Google XML Sitemap. For those who still consider a sitemap to be a necessary element, there is a useful website creation plugin that generates a page in a few seconds. All that remains is to set the parameters, which sections to include, which URLs to exclude, etc.

4. Another useful and popular addition is PB SEO Friendly Images. Helps to work on such an important optimization area as filling out tags and alt (alternative text) for images on a website. Thanks to this, search engines will check and take into account the graphic part of the content as much as possible.

5. For those who are serious about analytics and assessing the effectiveness of a resource, we can recommend Google Analyticator. It allows you to pull data from the Analytics counter.

6. There are add-ons that allow you to optimize the loading speed of website pages, for example, the popular one with good rating LiteSpeed Cache. Features include image optimization, customization asynchronous loading CSS and JS Asynchronously, work with CSS, JavaScript and HTML and much more.

7. Another group of plugins helps to refine content, in particular texts, that will be optimized and easy to read. Indicates sections that have problems with the amount of information.
SEO Content Control, SEO SQUIRRLY™.

8. Add-ons like Schema help to correctly configure the structured markup of schema.org; this factor is taken into account by search engines when indexing.

Now you have an idea of what plugins are and how they can make your life easier. The main thing is to determine which aspects of promotion and optimization you want to improve.

Hello, dear readers of the blog site. If we talk in simple language, That plugin is an add-on(extension of capabilities) for any program on your computer or website engine on the Internet. It is very difficult for developers to provide for all the wishes of users, so they make it possible third party developers satisfy these wishes by writing plugins (from the English plugin).

In addition, if all possible things are provided in one application, then it will become very heavy and clumsy, but thanks to plugins this does not happen, because each user receives basic functionality, and he can get everything else by downloading or installing the extension he needs.

What are plugins in simple words and where can I download them?

By the way, some plugins themselves can even remind you that they should be installed. Do you know such examples? For sure. Everything is the same when its presence is necessary to play video content on an open page.

So let's recap, what are plugins? In general, this is a software block that can be installed (connected) to the main application to expand its functionality (adding new features). Please note that not every application has the ability to install plugins - it must provide this. As a rule, the plugin itself (without this application) cannot work.

If we draw parallels and take this publication as an analogue of an application, then your comments, dear readers, can be equated to plugins. This “application” allows you to do this using the form for adding a comment, as well as real program offers the software add-on a data exchange protocol. Without this form, you will not be able to leave your comment, even if you wish.

Continuing the analogy, we can come to the conclusion that only those applications that are popular and are able to gather around themselves acquire a large number of extensions. great amount users and interested plugin developers. Likewise, my article will be able to collect a large number of comments only if it is highly popular, relevant and topical.

Where to download the plugin you need for each specific application, you can find out on the official website of this program or website engine. Enter the name of the application in Yandex or Google, and the first site in the organic results will most likely be official.

This is very relevant because through unofficial plugin A virus has a chance to sneak onto your computer or website (its signature may be contained in its code or it may crawl through a hole that the developer did not notice). It’s not for me to tell you how difficult it is to clean your computer afterwards, but I described it in some detail. In any case, it takes a lot of energy and nerves.

Let's take a look at the most striking examples of plugins for various applications(browsers, programs and website engines) so that you better understand what was discussed here and how useful certain plugins actually are.

Plugins for browsers and other programs on your computer

Let's start with browsers. The founder of the use of third-party software blocks to expand the functionality of the browser was, of course, . Actually, his enormous current popularity stems from the fact that he was the first to introduce the idea of expanding functionality to infinity with the help of plugins and managed to score a lot of points on this before his main competitors thought of repeating his experience.

For such a popular program in RuNet as Photoshop, there is also a very rich assortment of add-ons, which, however, are not called plugins, but filters, but the essence does not change. Everything that is not included in the functionality of the program can, if desired and with some luck, be implemented using plugins.

For example, save graphic file in a format that is not initially supported (ico, for example). Installing filters is not difficult and you can read about it on thematic resources.

Plugins for website engines using the example of WordPress and Joomla

For webmasters, plugins are also associated with extensions for those (site engines) that they are used. According to statistics, the most popular free ones are Joomla and WordPress, so we’ll talk about them now.

The WordPress engine allows you to create blogs, and in terms of functionality and ease of use it is quite capable of competing with paid solutions. However, you will hardly find a blog that does not use at least one plugin. No matter how rich and varied the capabilities of the CMS itself are, there is always something that needs to be implemented, but cannot be done without additional extensions.

However, I only use free extensions, which is doubly nice. Download plugins for WordPress you can from the official website (so they are checked for viruses and other nasty things) or directly from by going to the tab from the left menu “Plugins” - “Add new”.

The components of them are the most voluminous and sophisticated, and the modules are used to display content around the perimeter of the site (above, below or to the side of the main content). A plugin in Joomla is a special product that can, for example, react to any events and does not have such rich settings as a component.

Vivid examples include: plugins for Joomla, like , and a number of others that are installed in it by default. Among the components are the following:

I hope that in general outline I was able to explain what plugins are, and you also remembered that they can only be downloaded from official sites, or installed directly from the program or the admin panel of the site engine. And so, a wonderful thing, without which our world would be much poorer and less usable than it is now.

Good luck to you! See you soon on the pages of the blog site

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What is a plugin?

A plugin (module) is a software block that is built into Yandex Browser and expands its capabilities. Unlike add-ons, a plugin usually does not have an interface. Plugins are used to play video and audio in the browser, view PDF documents, improve the performance of web services that organize working together on the Internet, etc.

Installing the plugin

Typically, the need to install plugins arises when you visit a site that has specific content (for example, videos). To display this content correctly, you need to install one or another plugin.

Yandex.Browser will inform you that you need to install a suitable plugin and prompt you to do so: you will see a notification at the top of the page. You will need to download latest version plugin from the developer's website and install it.

How to disable the plugin?

Enter the address browser://plugins in the Smart line
The Plugins page opens, showing all installed plugins. To disable the plugin, disable the option Always run under his name.

Disable plugin autorun

By default, in Yandex Browser, Flash videos are launched automatically when the page is opened. To save RAM and enhance browser security, you can disable automatic start:

Update outdated plugins

Plugins are not automatically updated and may become outdated. Yandex Browser detects outdated plugins: if the plugin is outdated, you will see a message about this under the address bar:

To install the latest version of the plugin, select Update plugin.
If you want to perform necessary action without updating the plugin, click Run just this time. In this case, a message about blocking the plugin will also appear the next time you launch Yandex Browser.

When working with a computer, any user comes across the word “plugin,” whether he is new to computers or an advanced user. For example, when working with an operating room Windows system Often messages such as “Plugin is not supported” or “plugin is not responding” are displayed. The word often appears in the browser: the program through which you are on the Internet, as well as when working with many other programs. Today we will tell you what is a plugin in a computer, we will give examples and tell you why plugins are needed at all.

What is a plugin on a computer?

Plugin(from English plug-in - connect, insert) - addition to some other program, designed to expand its functionality. The plugin can be compared to shower hose attachments. The hose in this example is the main program. Initially, everyone washed themselves using a stream of water from a hose, and everyone was happy with this, but then someone came up with the idea of screwing a nozzle onto the hose, with which washing became much more convenient and faster. This attachment is the plugin.

The plugin cannot be used without the main program. You can't wash yourself with just a shower head in your hands. You will definitely need a hose with water pressure. Also, the plugin cannot work without the main program.

Why do we need plugins?

Plugins are needed to expand the functionality of the program for which they were created. They can also correct errors and shortcomings identified in the program after it has been launched for sale. In order for the developer not to re-release the program, it is easier to release an add-on for it.

Plugins can greatly simplify and speed up your computer work. Or they can slow it down, preventing it from functioning normally, if these are low-quality plugins from careless developers. But more on that later.

Examples of plugins on a computer

Perhaps the most popular plugin today is Adobe Flash Player. This is a browser add-on that plays Flash animations, videos and elements on various websites. It’s available in 9 out of 10 browsers, and it’s probably in yours too. Without it, you would also not be able to play on our site.

There are many other browser plugins available now. For example, it allows you to download videos from Youtube or music from Vkontakte, bypass site blocking, etc. All of them work only in conjunction with a browser and cannot work separately.

There are plugins for other programs:

Plugins for image editors: various effects for processing, new filters.
Plugins for programs for working with sound: sample libraries (sound samples), tools for applying effects to sound (echo, hall, small room effects, etc.)
Plugins for games: they are usually called mods or patches, but, in essence, these are the same plugins: they introduce new features to the gameplay, new levels, characters and cannot work separately from the original game.
Plugins for websites. The sites also have basic and advanced functions. The latter are added thanks to the same plugins. Our site uses a huge number of plugins so that you can easily interact with it.

Plugins exist for almost all types software for computer. We have listed only the most popular of them.

Official and unofficial plugins.

Official plugins- these are those that were developed by the company that created the original program, or by a partner company with the consent of the program developer, under his control. This plugin is safe to use, but there may be installation fees or monthly usage fees.

Unofficial plugins they are created by folk craftsmen and enthusiasts. They are as good as the official ones, but not always. Often they turn out to be unfinished, which makes their use difficult or impossible. Also, unofficial plugins may contain malicious code, capable of causing damage original program or the computer in general. Therefore, if you licensed program, trust only large and trusted plugin developers.

Have you downloaded a lot of suspicious plugins? Then you need to look at them and remove unnecessary ones so as not to slow down the computer.

How to view installed plugins on your computer in the Google Chrome browser

If you notice that your computer starts to slow down when starting the browser, or it takes a long time to start, then the problem may be in browser add-ons. To figure out why this happens, you need to look at the list installed plugins on your computer, and if you have a browser Google Chrome, then it’s very easy to do:

Click on the menu button on the right top corner(it looks like three dots), then additional tools - extensions. This is the list of installed plugins.

How to view the list of plugins in Mozilla Firefox

In the Mozilla Firefox browser, viewing the list of plugins is even easier than in Google Chrome: click on the menu button in the upper right corner (looks like three bars), then “add-ons”.

Without them, it is impossible to imagine a comfortable pastime near the computer. Thanks to them, you can not only watch movies and videos on the channel, but also improve the work own blog. We invite you to learn how to install and use useful plugins on personal computer, and also which plugin is better.

What is a plugin in a computer?

Not every Internet user knows what a plugin is and what plugins are needed for. Among them there are useful, not very necessary and even viral ones. Therefore, it is important to know where to find them and how to remove them if necessary. A plugin is an independently controlled software module that is capable of dynamically connecting to the main program, designed to expand or use its capabilities. Plugins are often used for convenience. Thanks to them, you can improve your blog:

get rid of spammers;
change the date and language to Russian;
optimize articles.

Types of plugins

It is important not only to understand what a plugin is, but also to know what types there are. There are these types of plugins:

For browsers – plays animations and videos.
For image editors - effects for processing, new filters.
For programs for working with sounds - tools for applying effects to sound, sample libraries.
For games - they are often called mods or patches, which provide new features in the gameplay, new levels, new characters and do not work separately from the original game.
For websites – used for the convenient functioning of a website or blog. They help optimize articles, translate dates and languages into Russian, and correct links.

How to download the plugin?

You can enjoy all the possibilities of the Internet by installing all the necessary plugins on your computer. We suggest you find out how to download the most popular and in-demand Flash plugin. To do this, it is important to follow these instructions:

Go to the Adobe Flash Player download page.
Upload file Flash installations. Here you need to pay attention to the checkbox for installing optional programs. If you do not clear the checkbox before downloading, the programs will be installed when you run the Flash installer.
Once the download is complete, you should close your browser.

Why can't the plugin load?

Sometimes beginners and more experienced users encounter problems loading plugins. It is especially unpleasant when the main software modules do not work, without which it is impossible to watch videos on the computer. So why won't the plugin load? Experts say there is no single cause for the problem. However, often the problem lies in the software version that is not updated.

Often during installation they uncheck this important point « Automatic update when connected to the network." In addition, the cause of the problem may be in the browser. So, one of the differences Opera browser V unstable work plugins. The problem may also be in the long-standing clearing of your browsing history. It is clear that the accumulated excess information in random access memory cannot improve the performance of the device. Perhaps the plugin itself was downloaded a long time ago and has never been updated during all this time.

How to install the plugin?

The next step after downloading is to install the Adobe Flash Player plugin. To do this, you must follow these instructions:

Uncheck the box “Yes, install Google Chrome (optional)” and click on the “Download” button.
After redirecting to new page, you will see a special dialog box in which you need to click the “Launch” button. Depending on the browser and settings you use, the file may download automatically. IN in this case you need to wait for the download to finish and run the file yourself.

How to run the plugin?

Once the required plugin is downloaded and installed on your computer, it is important to know how to use the plugin in Opera. To do this you need to do the following:

Launch the browser.
In the address field enter opera://plugins.
On the page that opens, find Adobe Flash Player.
Click the “Enable” button.
If the list contains several external modules, you need to select “Show details” and enable the external module.

Why doesn't the plugin work?

There may not be many reasons why the plugin does not work. Often this situation can arise when the version of the browser you are using is not designed to work with the plugin. In addition, the reason may be that the code of a particular plugin contains errors, that is, there is a likely risk that the plugin will not be supported. This often happens because the user installs some add-ons on a computer that is running a new operating system.

Why doesn't the plugin launch?

Knowing what a plugin is is not enough, it is also important to know how to use it. Sometimes network users are faced with the fact that flash games and video clips do not start. The reason is the disabled Adobe Flash Player plugin, which needs to be activated. We suggest you find out how to enable the plugin. To do this, you need to do one of the following:

To restart a computer. Perhaps after a reboot the plugin will start working. In this case, the module should be run with administrator rights. To do this, right-click on the browser shortcut and select “Properties”, go to the “Compatibility” tab, check the box to run the program as administrator and click “OK”.
Update your browser to the latest version.
Check if the plugin is enabled. To do this, enter about:plugins in the browser line (or browser://plugins for Yandex.Browser, opera://plugins for Opera, chrome://plugins for Chrom) and press “enter”. Having found a plugin, you need to see whether it is enabled or not. If not enabled, you need to click on “enable”.
IN address bar type the same commands and see how many plugins are installed. If there are two, then one needs to be disabled.
Clear cache and cookies.
Scan your computer for viruses. Sometimes they can be the reason why the plugin does not start.

The plugin is not supported - what should I do?

If plugins are not opening, you need to find out what the problem is and fix it as soon as possible. To run the plugin, you need to do the following:

Use a different browser. Maybe, this version browser is not designed to work with a specific plugin.
Delete the existing plugin and upload a new one. The problem may be errors in the code software module.
Go to the official website and download the installation program package.

How to disable plugins?

To disable hidden plugins, in different , you need to do the following:

IN Google browser Chrome in the address bar enter chrome://plugins.
In the page that opens, find browser plugins.
Find the required plugin and select “Disable”.

How to remove a plugin?

Not all novice Internet users know how to remove the Adobe Flash Player plugin. To do this you need:

Download the program Adobe removal Flash Player. You need to save the program where it can be easily found after restarting the computer.
Close all browsers and other programs that use Flash.
Run the uninstaller tool. To do this, double-click on the uninstall programs icon. You must follow the instructions to delete files and folders. Select “Start” - “Run”. Copy and paste - C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash, then click “ok”. Then you need to delete all the files in the folder.
Make sure complete removal software module. You need to restart your computer, open your browser and check for the plugin.