Avoid Plugins

What is a plugin?

A plugin is a piece of code that helps web browsers process specific types of content like Java and Flash.

Plugins allow programs, including web browsers to display and run customized content. A user will usually need to install a plugin or upgrade one in order for it to work on a web page before the content can be displayed to the user.

The most common plugins used to support content on web browsers include:

Adobe Flash Player that runs animation videos
Java Virtual Machine that runs Java Applets
Microsoft Silverlight that supports interactive web pages and media files

However, most mobile devices do not support plugins. This leads to incidents of crashes or just freezes the user’s browser. This is why the use of plugins is restricted by several browsers.

For instance, Chrome plans to remove support for most of the plugins. Firefox, on the other hand, prompts the user before it runs a plugin on a web page.

Why should you avoid plugins?

To Improve Search Engine Rankings

While listing a website on its search results page, Google checks for the site’s friendliness by assessing whether it has any plugins. If plugins exist, then Google deems the site not to be mobile friendly and subsequently lowers the page ranking in its search results.

So Plugins do affect the SEO rankings of websites.

How to avoid plugins?

Use native web technologies

Plugin days are now past, Most of the plugin supported content can now be created and rendered using native web technologies including support for videos, audio, graphics and other presentation effects.

These web features allow you to stay content-rich without affecting your website’s ranking in the search results and do not need you to install any plugins.

The best strategy for website developers is to avoid the use of plugins and minimize the incidences related to security or browser crashes.

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