Widgets Are Good

WordPress widgets are not considered new. They have been around for several iterations of WordPress, since version 2.3, with a rumored revamp coming in WordPress 2.8, the next major version.

Now that I am just starting to embrace their uses and realizing the potential that can be opened up by using them I am looking forward to the possible improvements that generally are found with a version upgrade by the good folk at Automattic.

The use of a well coded widget in a well coded theme makes blog management from a layout and design perspective quite easy. The real potential is released by the Text widget. I wanted to add a link to Technorati that would be more or less static, but given that this particular blog is currently hosted on WordPress.com it required a little more investigation and some simple HTML copy and pasting.

First, I had to change all the existing sidebar elements into their corresponding widgets. Done. Working as before? Check. Next, add the Text widget. Done. Next copy and paste the HTML code from Technorati. All done. Working as expected? Yes.

Am I happy with widgets? For the most part I am. Do I see room for improvements with the management of widgets? Yes, but I am willing to wait to see when, or if, the rumors of a revamp in 2.8 are true. I may re-visit my thoughts on what could (or should) be addressed in widgets then, in the meantime I will say, widgets are good.

What are your impressions of widgets? Do you use them? Leave a comment with your most unique standard widget usage.