How to vet an app before you install it

Dear reader,

Installing an app takes one click. Removing it cleanly, six months later, can take an afternoon. That imbalance is worth respecting before you add anything.

I'm not against apps. I'm against adding them on a whim.

A quick pre-install check

1. What does it inject? Does it add scripts to every page, or only where it's needed?
2. How is support? Recent reviews, a real changelog, replies that aren't copy-paste.
3. What happens when you leave? Does it remove its own code, or leave fragments in your theme?
4. Could your theme already do this? Often the answer is yes.

None of that takes long. All of it saves you from the slow accumulation that turns a fast store into a sluggish one.

The best app is often the one you talked yourself out of installing.

Trial with intent

If you do trial something, treat it like an experiment: decide up front what "good" looks like, give it a fixed window, and uninstall properly if it doesn't earn its place. An app on a "maybe" is just weight you'll forget about.

Add deliberately, review regularly, and your stack stays lean by default rather than by rescue.