WordPress widgets are one of the platform’s most powerful features—allowing you to add extra content and functionality to your site without touching a single line of code. In this post, we’ll explore what widgets are, the evolution from classic to block-based widgets, how to find and install them, and practical examples of their applications.
What Are WordPress Widgets?
Widgets are small blocks of content that you can add to pre-defined areas of your website (called widget areas). People often use them to display things like recent posts, social media feeds, search bars, and more. Also, “widget areas” aren’t limited to sidebars; many themes include widget areas in the footer, header, or even below or above the main content.
Widgets are designed to be independent from the rest of the post or page content. They instead display site-wide (or in specific areas defined by your theme), giving you a flexible way to enhance your navigation, display dynamic information, or add calls to action.
Classic vs. Block-based WordPress Widgets Classic Widgets
In the past (before 6.0), WordPress widgets have been managed in the Appearance > Widgets screen of the WordPress dashboard. The classic widget interface lets you:
Drag and drop widgets
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