While we support most beta and developer plugins and software here at WordPress.com, there are a few things you might want to know before installing. This guide will outline the risks and considerations when installing beta or developer plugins/software on your site.
In this guide
Plugins are updated regularly to include new features and security improvements. As part of the development process, a plugin developer might provide a “beta” or “developer” version. Beta and developer versions are available for users to test the updates before they are officially released. These pre-release versions of the plugin are not required for your site to continue using the stable version of a plugin.
Since beta and developer plugins are released before testing is complete, they are often unstable and can cause unintended changes to a site. Here are some examples of issues that beta/developer plugins have been known to cause:
- Blocks not working properly
- Plugin compatibility issues
- Images not displaying
- Critical errors that make a site inaccessible
Due to the unstable nature of this software, it is strongly recommended that you do not install beta or developer versions of plugins on any “live” site. A live site is a site you have developed for your customers and visitors. It can also be referred to as a production site.
Elementor provides a great explanation of who their Beta Developer Edition plugin is designed for in their blog:
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Important note! We highly recommend using the Developer plugin on staging environments only, and backing up your entire website before updating. You can always take advantage of Elementor’s rollback option and revert to an earlier more stable version, or alternatively click “Re-install Now” on the Developer Edition page.
– Introducing Elementor Beta Developer Edition
You can find several examples of beta software by searching “beta” in the plugin gallery. This is not an exhaustive list, but here are a few specific examples:
The Elementor Beta (Developer Edition) plugin “gives you direct access into Elementor’s development process.” It is intended to allow users to participate in developing new features and is not recommended for production sites.
The BP Beta Tester plugin is “a plugin to switch between stable, beta, or RC versions of BuddyPress.” This allows users of BuddyPress software to test new features before the general release.
The WooCommerce Beta Tester plugin allows users to “easily update to pre-release versions of WooCommerce for testing and development purposes.” This plugin is helpful for developers using WooCommerce functionality in their software to ensure compatibility with new releases.
If you want to test a plugin to ensure there are no conflicts with other plugins on your site, you can install a beta or developer version of the plugin. Before you do:
- Be prepared to roll your site back if the beta/developer plugin breaks your live site. You have access to restore a backup using these instructions.
- Make sure you know how to switch between the Beta/Developer version and the production-ready (stable) version of a plugin. In their documentation, developers should include instructions on changing back to the production-ready plugin.
Otherwise, you can keep your production plugins and leave the beta testing to the developers.
