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jsDelivr Java Content Delivery Network Plugin Review
jsDelivr WordPress CDN Plugin is a new mini CDN plugin to load JavaScript files from a free public Content Delivery Network. Serving Java (and other) files from another server reduces load on your hosting server thus speeding up page load time. There’s another benefit as well. Browsers can only download two components per hostname at the same time. – so when you have to load all the Java and CSS files as well as images making up a WordPress page, the whole process slows down. But if your content is distributed, more files are sent simultaneously to a visiting browser.
jsDelivr WordPress Plugin Rating
Version Tested: 0.1
Requires WP: 3.0 or higher
Compatible up to: 3.4.2
Last Update: 2012-8-23
Downloads: 1,423
Stats Date: Oct 06, 2012
This first ever review of the jsDelivr WordPress CDN Plugin is based on three installations of the plugin (on this site and another Graphicline WordPress site, and a customer site). At the time I installed the plugin, it had been downloaded only 54 times.
So let’s have a quick look at our ratings.
- It Works. It worked on the three sites I installed it on
- *Bug Free: The only thing I found is the “Scanning” throbber doesn’t end and refresh the page after the scan is complete. Minor bug as the scan DOES FINISH – See More Below.
- Features: The user can select every file (from those available) and decide to use the CDN version or the local version. For this feature alone I give the jsDelivr WordPress CDN Plugin 10 out 0f 10 points.
- Options: I may have been unfair only giving it 5 stars for options. I would like to see an option to load Java files form a custom CDN or site. So the lower rating is my own personal desire for this option
- Easy Setup: Very easy to set up. install from the WordPress Repository, activate and follow the simple on-screen instructions to finish set-up.
- Ease in Use. As this is a back-end plugin, use is based on Setup.
- Graphicline use of plugin. jsDelivr is in use on all my own WordPress sites, and being installed on clients sites as well.
- Used on Developers site. The jsDelivr.com website is not a WordPress site. This is not a negative factor – There are other more suitable front-ends for a CDN home site, and jsDelivr.com is not only for WordPress – so it gets 5 (unknown, but benefit of doubt credited).
The Small Bug Found
The only problem I found with the jsDelivr plugin test for this review was the Scanning function doesn’t seem to end. The plugin scans your WordPress files and plugin folders for Java files. However the scan does complete – but the plugin admin page shown during scanning doesn’t refresh when it finishes – so you see the Please Wait information. If this happens when you scan your site, leave it running for a while (depends on number of plugins, server activity, but 5 to 15 minutes should be more than enough) then manually refresh the page to get the results.
Bugfix in Next Version
The Developer of jsDelivr announced yesterday the next version will fix this minor bug.
The new version that will come out soon will fix the problem you are having. Normally the scan should not be more than a few seconds, but in some cases like yours it goes for ever. Scan Not Refreshing Page
Plugin Support Looks Good
Support for this plugin is looking good with the developer responding to most issues ain good time jimaek, the developer of jsDelivr responded quickly to the bug report I submitted – SAME DAY response, which in our ranting system is excellent! Our rating for support rating remains at 10 out 0f 10.
WordPress Java Library
The WordPress plugin Java library at jsDelivr.com is still quite small. It does already have the basic WordPress Java files available, and a selection of plugin scripts as well. Plugins can be submitted to the library – where they will be evaluated and the scripts made available if accepted.
Other libraries are also used e.g. Google Hosted Libraries – there’s no point in duplicating everything, and Google servers are fast.
I’m certain as the base of WordPress Java files grows, this plugin will become even more useful in time.
Review Summary
jsDelivr is a very useful Plugin that should have positive benefits for nearly every WordPress site. Sites on shared hosting (even really good shared hosting!) will benefit even more. jsDelivr is one of the plugins that will get installed by default on every new WordPress site I administer, as well as my own sites.
Highly recommended – in fact, why not download it now and install on your site. There’s nothing to lose and a lot to gain.
First published: August 24, 2012 Updated: October 06, 2012