Few WordPress users can function without the incredible advantages jQuery brings to website design. A small, fast, and feature rich library in JavaScript, jQuery is responsible for making event handling, animations, document manipulation and traversal, and HTML document manipulation far easier and more straightforward. Working across multiple browsers, the power of jQuery is in the forms and applications it can take across WordPress websites. With that in mind, lets take a moment to review some of the best JQuery WordPress plugins you should be using for your own WordPress website or blog. Some of these plugins include the following.
1. WP jQuery Lightbox
A powerful tool, Lightbox has been used by thousands for its ability to handle the jQuery Javascript library effectively. Along with bring up videos and displaying images, the original lightbox as well as subsequent updates made it so that the rest of the webpage would be dimmed out while you watch a video. While Lightbox in its own right is excellent, many people have struggled with its bulk and general unwieldiness. This is where WP jQuery Lightbox comes into play.
WP jQuery Lightbox has a staggering 100,000+ active installations across WordPress websites. The role of WP jQuery Lightbox is to simulate all of the features that people know and love about the original while shedding the bulk and unused aspects of the jQuery library. Features include being able to make live adjustments to browser windows, improve scaling maximizing for screen space, and the support of swipe gestures for moving between images. However, this just scratches the surface of everything that WP jQuery Lightbox provides. The best way to learn about it for yourself is to dive in and start playing around with it. There is an excellent community as well as frequent updates.
2. jQuery Archive List Widget
Providing a specific function, the jQuery Archive List Widget is designed to display an archive list with some effects as a widget on your WordPress website. Features include displaying a collapsed list of your archives in order to save space on your Website, using jQuery to add web browser effects that can help to customize the experience people have with your WordPress website, support for archive filters, multiple instances support, multiple language support, and it generates valid HTML5 code. jQuery Arhive List Widget currently has 8,000+ active users and is frequently being added to. Check the support forum to see what future updates will be added to this plugin.
3. jQuery Response Select Menu
The ability for your WordPress Website to be flexible across viewing platform means that more people will be able to access your information. jQuery Response Select Menu looks to correct a problem inherent in WordPress, which is one of scalability in menus. With jQuery Response Select Menu, you can turn the standard WordPress navigation menus into responsive select drop down menus when the WordPress menu is shrunk below a certain size. Never again have your WordPress website be unfriendly to portable electronic devices.
4. jQuery Vertical Scroller
The jQuery Vertical Scroller displays your posts as a vertical scroll in a widget that you can place anywhere on your post or page. Easy to install and configure, the jQuery Vertical Scroller provides a simple feature with a minimum of hassle. Along with supporting a series of features tied into the vertical scroller, the jQuery Vertical Scroller plugin is well supported and has a small community of 3,000+ passionate users.
5. jQuery Updater
Having jQuery running on your WordPress website will give you improved functionality, choice, and design when planning how your site will look. However, unless it stays up to date with both WordPress and the most recent version of jQuery, you are looking at incompatibility problems. That is where the jQuery Updater comes in. Designed to help keep you up to date, this simple plugin will make sure that you have the most recent version of jQuery, and notify you if you do not. In addition, it makes installing the newest version of jQuery easy and simple. With over 60,000+ active users, many people find this basic plugin perfect for their jQuery website. If you are using jQuery, then jQuery Updater is a must.
6. jQuery UI Widgets
While jQuery Updater and WP jQuery Lightbox both work to bring you jQuery and keep it up to date, the jQuery UI Widgets get to the more practical application of jQuery JavaScript library to your WordPress website. The jQuery UI Widgets add flexible, simple, and powerful widgets to your posts and pages. Working right out of the box, this plugin can easily override the existing CSS code, making changes straightforward and satisfyingly easy.
With more then 9,000+ active users, jQuery continues to be an exciting plugin for those who want more control and versatility when it comes to utilizing jQuery in their WordPress website design.
