Using plugins that are not updated anymore

Question

I have a simple question:

Would you rather use a plugin that is actively developed by the author(s) or use a plugin that is good in your perspective, but you know that it was last updated years ago and has no active support?

Answer 1

I would use an old plugin if I felt that I could maintain it. In fact I already do use plugins that I've basically forked for one reason or another. Some plugins are small, and some are huge; it depends.

When jQuery goes through a major revision, it's not uncommon for APIs or behaviors to change.

Answer 2

That is a tough call and depends on the circumstances. If you are responsible for a commercial software product you need to keep in mind that you always have to be able to ship product. If you can't because all the sudden the plugin doesn't work anymore some piece of the technology stack has changed you might have to face very unhappy customers ... In this scenario I would always go for plugins that are in active development/support and then only what is best for my team.

Staying mainstream has also its challenges. Each time you swap a tool, upgrade a piece of your technology stack, you take a risk. It is your responsibility as a software engineer to apply good judgement and then make the right choices.

For non-commercial projects I think it is less of an issue. If the old plugin doesn't work anymore you are under no obligation to find a replacement on short notice. In this scenario I would typically go for what works best for me.