What are Dashboard Widgets in WordPress?
Dashboard Widgets in WordPress serve as essential elements on the Dashboard screen, offering users quick access to various features and information about their website.
These widgets are blocks that present different types of content, such as site statistics, recent activity, drafts, WordPress news, and more. The flexibility to customize which widgets appear on the dashboard allows users to tailor their admin area to better fit their needs, making website management more efficient.
Default Dashboard Widgets
At a Glance
The “At a Glance” widget provides a summary of the site’s content, displaying the number of posts, pages, and comments. It also shows the WordPress version and the currently active theme, offering a quick snapshot of the site’s essential details.
Activity
This widget highlights recent site activity, including scheduled posts, recently published content, and recent comments. It allows for quick moderation of comments directly from the dashboard, streamlining the process of content management.
Quick Draft
“Quick Draft” is a utility widget that enables users to quickly create new draft posts. It simplifies the process of jotting down ideas or starting a new post without navigating away from the dashboard, including fields for the post title, content, and tags.
WordPress Events and News
The “WordPress Events and News” widget connects users with the broader WordPress community by displaying upcoming WordPress events and news.
This includes information about local meetups, WordCamps, and updates from the official WordPress blog, keeping users informed about the latest WordPress developments and community activities.
Welcome
For new WordPress installations, the “Welcome” widget provides links to common actions, such as customizing the site’s appearance or creating new posts. It serves as a guide for new users, helping them get started with their WordPress site.
Customizing Dashboard Widgets
Screen Options
Users can customize which widgets appear on their dashboard through the “Screen Options” panel. This feature allows for the addition or removal of widgets, enabling users to create a dashboard that best fits their workflow and preferences.
Managing Widgets
Widgets on the dashboard can be expanded, collapsed, and rearranged according to the user’s preference. This is done by dragging and dropping widgets to the desired location, offering a personalized overview of the site.
Adding New Widgets
Developers can add new widgets to the dashboard using the Dashboard Widgets API. This feature allows for the integration of custom widgets, which can range from specific site metrics to custom admin tools or feeds, enhancing the dashboard’s functionality.
Advanced Customization and Plugins
Dashboard Widgets API
The Dashboard Widgets API provides a robust set of functions for adding, removing, and managing dashboard widgets. It supports the customization of the dashboard through coding, offering a direct way to tailor the dashboard experience to the site’s specific needs.
Plugins for Dashboard Customization
Several plugins are available that allow for the customization of the WordPress dashboard without the need for coding. These plugins can add new widgets, remove default ones, or completely overhaul the dashboard layout.
Plugins such as Jetpack, Google Site Kit, and Yoast SEO add their widgets, offering insights into site stats, SEO performance, and more.
Ultimate Dashboard
Plugins like Ultimate Dashboard take customization further by enabling the creation of fully custom dashboards. This includes the ability to customize widgets, the login screen, the admin bar, and the admin menu sidebar.
Ultimate Dashboard allows for a tailored admin experience, showing only the information and tools that are relevant to the user or their role on the site.
Divi Admin Dashboard Layouts
For users of Elegant Themes, Divi Admin Dashboard Layouts provide a way to apply the power of the Divi Builder to the WordPress dashboard.
This allows for the creation of a completely custom dashboard design, including the addition of custom widgets and a personalized layout that can enhance the user experience for site administrators and clients.