In modern web development — especially in the WordPress ecosystem — complexity has quietly become the default.
Plugins ship with build pipelines, frontend frameworks, layers of abstraction, and dependencies that rival full-scale applications. Simple ideas are wrapped in elaborate architectures. And if something isn’t complex, it’s often assumed to be underpowered or outdated.
But simplicity isn’t what happens when you lack technical skill.
Simplicity is what happens when you choose restraint.
Complexity is easy. Simplicity takes work.
It’s easy to add:
- another feature
- another dependency
- another abstraction
- another layer “just in case”
Modern tools make this almost effortless. You can scaffold a plugin with React, bundle it with Vite, add state management, and ship something impressive — at least on the surface.
What’s harder is asking:
- Do I actually need this?
- Will this still make sense a year from now?
- Can someone else understand this code without a walkthrough?
Simple software requires discipline. It requires knowing what not to build.
WordPress already gives us more than enough
One of the most overlooked truths in WordPress development is how much the platform already provides.
Hooks. Filters. REST API. Block editor. Settings API. Roles and capabilities. Cron. Database abstractions. A mature plugin system.
Yet many plugins behave as if WordPress is just a database and a login screen — rebuilding functionality the platform already solved years ago.
Choosing simplicity often means choosing to lean into WordPress, not fight it.
Native solutions may not feel as clever, but they tend to:
- integrate better
- break less
- age more gracefully
And most importantly, they respect the ecosystem they live in.
Simple does not mean outdated
Simplicity is often confused with being “old school.”
That’s a misunderstanding.
You can write:
- modern PHP
- clean JavaScript
- secure, well-structured code
…without turning every plugin into a frontend application.
Simple by design doesn’t reject modern tools.
It uses them intentionally, not reflexively.
Progressive enhancement beats heavy client-side rendering for most plugin use cases. Clear PHP logic often outlives clever abstractions. Readable code beats impressive code.
Performance and maintainability are features
For users, simple software feels:
- faster
- more predictable
- less fragile
For developers, it means:
- easier debugging
- fewer breaking changes
- less fear when opening old code
A smaller codebase is easier to reason about. Fewer dependencies mean fewer surprise updates. Less magic means more trust.
These aren’t secondary concerns.
They are core product features — even if they don’t show up on a landing page.
The hidden cost of overengineering
Every added layer comes with a cost:
- cognitive load
- onboarding time
- maintenance burden
- future constraints
That cost is rarely paid upfront. It shows up months later, when a simple change requires navigating a maze of abstractions, or when updating one dependency breaks three others.
Simple systems fail more honestly. They’re easier to fix. Easier to explain. Easier to keep alive.
Choosing simplicity is choosing a direction
“Simple by design” is not an accident. It’s a decision made again and again:
- to ship less
- to write clearer code
- to respect the platform
- to prioritize long-term clarity over short-term cleverness
It also quietly defines who your software is for — and who it isn’t.
Not every project needs to scale endlessly. Not every plugin needs to be everything. Not every idea needs a framework.
Calm software lasts longer
The web moves fast. Trends come and go. Tools rise and fall.
What tends to last is software that:
- does one thing well
- avoids unnecessary noise
- feels calm to use and maintain
Simplicity isn’t about lowering ambition.
It’s about directing it.
Choosing simplicity is choosing software that respects users, developers, and time itself.
And that choice — especially today — is anything but a limitation.