Should I Remove Polyfill from WordPress?
FOR YEARS, the WordPress ecosystem has rewarded the trend-chasers. The surest route to a modern website, the advice goes, is to string together a series of new plugins or theme updates, each promising better performance than the last. Developers on YouTube set tutorials of their own site speed improvements to upbeat electronic music, cloaking technical deep-dives as guidance for the uninitiated. On forums, users debate just how much legacy code a site can retain before visitors might start to fret about slow loading. (Keeping things updated is the consensus, though a brave few argue for radical simplification.) This brings us to a common technical crossroads many face: should i remove polyfill from wordpress to keep up with the times?
A Developer’s Take on Polyfill in WordPress
As a WordPress developer who’s seen countless sites struggle with outdated code, my advice is straightforward: yes, in most cases, you should remove polyfill from WordPress—but carefully. Polyfills were essential scripts that added modern functionality to older browsers. However, most browsers now support these features natively, making those extra scripts redundant. They add unnecessary bulk, slowing down your site. If you’re using a modern theme and have updated your plugins, those polyfills are likely just dead weight. Before removing anything, always back up your site. Then, check if your theme or plugins are injecting polyfills. You can use tools like “Query Monitor” to identify which scripts are loading. If they’re not needed by your current setup, you can safely disable them via functions.php or a plugin like “Asset CleanUp.” But caution: if you still have users on very old browsers (like IE11), removing polyfills might break functionality for them. Test thoroughly!
How This Relates to Your WordPress Experience
Understanding technical details like polyfill removal is part of maintaining a healthy, fast website. It’s similar to other common tasks WordPress users handle, such as learning how to add an image to WordPress efficiently or configuring a robust wp booking system. Each optimization, big or small, contributes to better performance and user satisfaction. Additionally, knowing your site’s capabilities ties into permissions—like understanding the difference between a WordPress keymaster vs administrator role, which controls what changes can be made safely without risking site stability.
When to Seek Professional Help
If this sounds too technical, don’t worry. Many site owners prefer to leave these optimizations to experts. At WPutopia, we specialize in WordPress services that keep your site secure, fast, and up-to-date. Our offerings include:
- WordPress maintenance
- Theme upgrades
- Plugin installation and optimization
- Performance tweaks like polyfill removal
- Security hardening
Let us handle the complexities while you focus on your content and business. Contact WPutopia today for a consultation!
