I used to jump into plugin ideas the moment they popped into my head.
Now?
I pause.
I ask 3 simple questions before I write a single line of code.
These questions have saved me weeks of wasted effort — and helped me build plugins that actually solve problems.
1. Would I Use This Plugin Myself?
This is always the first check.
If I wouldn’t install this on one of my own sites, why should anyone else?
It doesn’t have to be something I need daily — but it has to be:
- Useful enough to make sense
- Simple enough to maintain
- Clear enough that I understand its purpose without overexplaining
If I’m forcing it, I skip it.
2. Does This Already Exist — and Can I Do It Better or Different?
WordPress has 60,000+ plugins on the repo.
The odds are high that someone’s already built a version of what I’m thinking.
But that’s not a dealbreaker.
I ask:
- Can I do this in a simpler, cleaner, or more focused way?
- Can I build for a specific user or use case that existing plugins ignore?
- Is the current solution bloated or neglected?
Sometimes, the best plugins are better takes on ideas that already exist.
3. Is This a Quick Hack or a Long-Term Project?
Not every plugin needs to be a full-time product.
Some are small helpers, and that’s okay.
But I decide up front:
- Is this a side experiment or a tool I’ll support long term?
- Am I building this for fun, for learning, or for income?
- What happens if it gets 10,000 active installs?
If I don’t want to maintain it later, I don’t pretend I will.
Final Thought
I still get excited about new ideas — that hasn’t changed.
But now I’m more intentional about where I put my energy.
These 3 questions help me focus on plugins that matter — to me, and to the people I build for.
And they’ve made the whole process a lot more rewarding.