---
title: Lessons from a plugin developer with Ben Croker
date: 2023-05-09T05:00:00-04:00
author: Sean Smith
canonical_url: "https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-12/lessons-from-a-plugin-developer-with-ben-croker/"
section: Podcast
---
<!\[CDATA\[YII-BLOCK-BODY-BEGIN\]\]>[Skip to main content](#main-content)Guest Ben Croker
Craft CMS plugin developer, trainer and consultant, lover of adventures and the great outdoors.
[ ](ben_pylo)
Season 06 Episode 12 – May 09, 2023
52:22 [Show Notes](#show-notes)
## Lessons from a plugin developer with Ben Croker
LISTEN0:00
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[](//dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/website101podcast.com/uploads/mp3/season-06/S06-E12-plugin-development-with-ben-croker.mp3)
A discussion on plugin development with Ben Croker who has developed plugins for Craft CMS and previously for ExpressionEngine. We discuss when to use a plugin, when a plugin should be commercial, how to price a plugin, and providing support to end users.
### Show Notes
- Ben's origin story
- What is a plugin?
- CMS acquisition of plugins in order to add to core functionality
- When to use a plugin or build it myself?
- How do you come up with an idea for a plugin?
- Commercial vs Free plugins
- Supporting plugins
- No code vs bring your own code and technical knowledge
- Support tickets/issues
- GitHub issues
- Email (good for sensitive information)
- Ticketing systems
- Feature requests and pull requests
- How to decide the cost of commercial plugins
- Breaking changes in the CMS
- Plugins that work with other plugins
- Website security and plugin evaluation
- Advice for developers new to plugin development
- USE an IDE
### Show Links
- [Code Igniter](https://codeigniter.com/)
- [ExpressionEngine](https://expressionengine.com/)
- [Craft Cms](https://craftcms.com/)
- [Put Your Lights On](https://putyourlightson.com/)
- [Blitz](https://putyourlightson.com/plugins/blitz)
- [Sprig](https://putyourlightson.com/sprig)
- [Sendgrid](https://putyourlightson.com/plugins/sendgrid)
- [Feed Me](https://plugins.craftcms.com/feed-me)
- [The Dangers of Over Reliance on Plugins in Website Builds](https://caffeinecreations.ca/blog/the-dangers-of-over-reliance-on-plugins-in-website-builds/)
- [SEOmatic](https://plugins.craftcms.com/seomatic)
- [Good Documentation is Hard (Matt Stein)](https://mattstein.com/thoughts/documentation-is-hard)
- [HTMX](https://htmx.org/)
- [Tailwind with Adam Wathan - Season 5 Episode 4](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-05/episode-4/tailwind-css-with-adam-wathan/)
- [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/)
- [Craft CMS Docs](https://craftcms.com/docs/4.x/)
- [Craft Quest](https://craftquest.io/)
- [Craft Generator](https://github.com/craftcms/generator/)
- [PHP Storm](https://www.jetbrains.com/phpstorm/)
- [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/)
Have a question for Sean, Mike, and Amanda? [Send us an email](/contact).
[](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93ZWJzaXRlMTAxcG9kY2FzdC5jb20vZmVlZC5yc3M%3D)[](https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/website-101-podcast/id1449510012)[](https://open.spotify.com/show/3rmSM1R9t6q1U8DmYWJRSO?si=NrYPMgDaRV6Dd56PjEaPow)### Season 06
- 1 [ Tools of the Trade](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-1/tools-of-the-trade/)
- 2 [ Website Contract Advice From an Actual Lawyer](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-2/website-contract-advice-from-an-actual-lawyer/)
- 3 [ Choosing a CMS](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-3/choosing-a-cms/)
- 4 [ Tips for Website Maintenance](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-4/tips-for-website-maintenance/)
- 5 [ Working with Conflicting Personalities](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-5/working-with-conflicting-personalities/)
- 6 [ Building an Online Course with Jane Atkinson](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-6/building-an-online-course-with-jane-atkinson/)
- 7 [ PodCamp Toronto 2023 Recap](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-7/podcamp-toronto-2023-recap/)
- 8 [ The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly about RFPs](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-8/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-about-rfps/)
- 9 [ Here's how to work from paradise](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-9/heres-how-to-work-from-paradise/)
- 10 [ Rebroadcast: Pimp Your Typography](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-10/rebroadcast-pimp-your-typography/)
- 11 [ Internet Privacy with Michael Geist](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-11/internet-privacy/)
- 12 [ Lessons from a plugin developer with Ben Croker](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-12/lessons-from-a-plugin-developer-with-ben-croker/)
- 13 [ Stand Out on Social Media with Jessica Perreault](https://website101podcast.com/episodes/season-06/episode-13/social-media-with-jessica-perreault/)
### All Seasons
- [Season 01](https://website101podcast.com/season/01/)
- [Season 02](https://website101podcast.com/season/02/)
- [Season 03](https://website101podcast.com/season/03/)
- [Season 04](https://website101podcast.com/season/04/)
- [Season 05](https://website101podcast.com/season/05/)
- [Season 06](https://website101podcast.com/season/06/)
- [Season 07](https://website101podcast.com/season/07/)
- [Season 08](https://website101podcast.com/season/08/)
- [Season 09](https://website101podcast.com/season/09/)
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