If you’re an Elegant Themes user who hasn’t yet fully embraced the Divi Builder plugin or the Divi and Extra themes it powers, this article will give you a quick walkthrough of what you are missing out on.
As well as showcasing some of the best features of Divi, you’ll also get a better idea of whether there are any third party plugins on your site that have now become surplus to requirements. As the Divi Builder and the themes it powers are packed with useful features, there is a good chance you might be able to reduce your plugin count without losing any crucial functionality.
However, before we get to the types of plugins that Divi has the potential to replace, let’s stir up that old hornet’s nest and take a look at whether you really can have too many plugins installed on a WordPress website.
- 1 Why Reduce Your WordPress Plugin Count?
- 2 Plugin-Replacing Features of the Divi Theme and Builder Plugin
- 3 Drag and Drop Page Builder Tool
- 4 Email Optin Forms
- 5 Contact Forms
- 6 Pricing Tables
- 7 Testimonials
- 8 Sliders
- 9 Media Galleries and Players
- 10 Interactive Google Maps
- 11 Social Media Follow Buttons
- 12 Shortcode Plugins
- 13 Final Thoughts
Why Reduce Your WordPress Plugin Count?
When it comes to WordPress plugins, there’s no such thing as having too many. It’s just as likely that one bad plugin will break your website as it is that you’ll have 50 well-coded extensions all working nicely together. On the topic of WordPress plugins, it’s more about quality than quantity. Although you should never overlook potential compatibility issues between your chosen add-ons.
However, there are some advantages to keeping the number of plugins running on your site to a minimum. Some of these benefits include having fewer plugins to keep up to date, a reduced number of licenses and accounts to manage, fewer opportunities for an extension to go wrong and start causing problems, and of course, the potential cost savings.
By replacing multiple plugins with a single product, you now have far fewer products to keep track of; while also having a single point of contact when you need help or assistance.
When it comes to replacing multiple tools with one product, there are some risks associated with putting all your eggs in one basket. One point to consider is the likelihood of the owner of that product going out of business or suddenly discontinuing it. However, choosing a product from a well-established and trusted source goes a long way towards mitigating this risk.
Plugin-Replacing Features of the Divi Theme and Builder Plugin
If you haven’t checked out the products you have access to as a part of your membership package lately, then here’s a quick recap.
The Divi Builder started life as the integrated page builder tool of the Divi theme. Now, the Divi Builder is available as a standalone plugin that should work with any WordPress theme, as well as being an integral part of the newly released Extra blogging and magazine theme.
This means the features covered in this article can be added to your WordPress website by installing the Divi and Extra themes, as well as the standalone Divi Builder plugin. So let’s get started and take a look at the top 10 plugin-replacing features found in the Divi Builder and the themes it powers.
Drag and Drop Page Builder Tool
The Divi Builder interface
Whether using the Divi or Extra themes or the standalone plugin, the drag and drop page builder functionality of the Divi Builder is the core feature on offer here.
The Divi Builder is a competitive product in the WordPress builder plugin category – and I’m not just saying that because of where this article is being published! It might be lacking a front-end view or live preview, as can be found in some of the other options. However, Divi Builder goes give you the ability to create multi row and column layouts for your posts and pages, which can then be populated with a wide range of different content modules.
Divi Builder also includes a selection of prebuilt page layouts, which can be used as is, or as a time-saving head start for your custom designs. There’s no single best page builder tool for WordPress, however, and the right tool for you will depend on your needs. However, when it comes to page builder functionality and user experience, Divi Builder should include everything you need.
Email Optin Forms
Add email optin forms to your content
You might already have access to the Bloom email optin form plugin. However, if you don’t need to add popups, fly-ins, and a whole host of other types of optin forms to your website, then the Email Optin Forms module is a good compromise.
This module allows you to insert email optin forms for your newsletter into your custom layouts. The forms are all fully responsive, so they will adjust to the size of the column or row they’ve been added to. This gives you the option of adding full-width horizontal forms to your content or forms that span just a portion of the page. You can add custom content to your forms and personalize their appearance through the visual editor and settings.
Email Optin Forms module settings
Unfortunately, the Email Optin Forms module only integrates with MailChimp, AWeber, and Feedburner so it won’t be suitable for everyone. However, if you simply want to add attractive optin forms into your content, and you are using one of the supported email management services, you will get value from this module.
Contact Forms
Add simple contact forms to your site
If you’re using advanced forms on your WordPress website then you may have to stick with your premium form plugin of choice. However, if your needs don’t extend beyond displaying a simple contact form, then the corresponding module from Divi Builder will replace a standard form plugin.
Customize the appearance of the forms
When using the Contact Form module, you can enable captcha spam protection, customize the appearance of the form through the visual editor, and add your own custom CSS. There’s no support for adding or changing the fields. However, if you only need to collect the name, email address, and the message from your visitors, then this module will suffice.
Pricing Tables
The Pricing Tables module
For those of you who are selling products and services from your website, pricing tables can be a core part of your pricing strategy. Moreover, if you ever publish reviews on your website, then using a pricing table to compare the items being discussed makes it very easy for your readers to see what’s on offer.
While there are some excellent pricing table plugins for WordPress, this module in the Divi Builder isn’t too shabby at all.
Creating the price comparison tables
With the Pricing Tables module, you can create as many tables as you need. Through the Pricing Table builder, you can mark a column as featured to help it stand out, set a currency and payment cycle, add links, and then enter the list of custom content to be compared.
You can use the visual editor to customize the appearance of the table or add your own custom CSS for even more control over how it will look.
Testimonials
Publish testimonials from happy clients
Testimonials can be used to great effect if you want to sell more products, land more clients, or just show your readers you know what you are blogging about.
With the Testimonial module, you can quickly publish feedback from your users in an attractive way. Like the rest of the modules from Divi Builder, these testimonials are responsive and will, therefore, fit into any column layout you’ve created.
Entering the testimonial content
Through the Testimonial builder, you can enter the name, title, company, website address, and a photo of the user, as well as entering their feedback. There’s no way to add a form to your website for collecting feedback from your contacts, however, if you are happy to solicit testimonials in other ways and then enter the details yourself, this module is an effective way to add some valuable social proof to your website.
Like the other Divi Builder modules, the appearance can be customized through the settings or by adding your own custom CSS.
Sliders
Create a range of slideshows
The Divi Builder includes three separate slider modules for adding slideshows to your posts and pages. The standard Slider module allows you to create a slideshow with multiple slides, each of which can contain custom content; buttons; and a background image, video, or solid color.
The second slider module is a variation of the first, which instead gives you the ability to add full-width sliders to your website. This is ideal for adding slideshows to the header areas of your content or the homepage of your site.
Control how your sliders work
Both of these sliders offer a few effects to give your slideshows more impact. These effects include auto playback and parallax scrolling. You also have the option of enabling or disabling the slideshow controls and navigation aids.
The Video Slider module is a simpler tool that only gives you the ability to set videos as the main slide content. These videos can be those that are hosted externally from your website or files you’ve uploaded to your WordPress Media Library.
It’s fair to say these slider modules won’t give the owners of the leading commercial slideshow plugins any sleepless nights. However, if you don’t have the need for animated slideshows with multiple timelines and a dizzying array of animation effects, these Divi modules should be enough for most situations.
Media Galleries and Players
Add audio players to your posts and pages
When it comes to displaying media files on your Divi-powered website, there are a few modules that upgrade the standard functionality of WordPress.
The Image module makes it easy to add photos and other images to your custom layouts. This module will automatically resize your images to ensure they fill the width of the column or row they have been inserted in.
You also have the option of displaying a larger version of the image in a lightbox window when clicked or turning the images into links that will take the visitors to a custom URL of your choice. Lazy loading is on offer, and there are some basic animation effects that you can make use of to help the images catch the attention of your visitors.
The Audio module provides basic playback controls, with the option of adding cover art to the player. The audio file can be uploaded to your site through the WordPress Media Library.
As you would expect, the Video module makes it easy to add videos to your custom layouts. These videos can be self-hosted files or those from external sites like YouTube and Vimeo.
Interactive Google Maps
Publish a custom Google Map
Every good business website needs an interactive Google Map and the Map module makes it easy to add one to your custom layout.
Create custom map markers
When adding a map to your page, you can set the start location. You’re then free to add as many pins to your map as you need, with each pin featuring its own custom content, if necessary.
This is a simple module, but it does make the process of adding interactive Google Maps with custom markers to your website very straightforward.
Display links to your social media profiles
Those of you on the developer plan will have access to the powerful social sharing plugin Monarch. However, if your needs are more modest, then the Social Follow module could meet your requirements.
When setting up the module, you can choose which social networks you want to display icons for. By default, the colors associated with each network will be applied to the icons. However, you are free to choose your own custom colors.
Customize the social media icons
While the buttons from Social Media module can’t be used to share your content, if you want to make it easy for your visitors to access your social media profiles, this one is for you.
Shortcode Plugins
The Call to Action module
There are a number of useful shortcode plugins for WordPress, which add a library of modules or elements to your website. These elements can then be inserted into your content by using the corresponding shortcode.
Use blurbs to illustrate your point
However, if you choose to use Divi Builder, you should be able to avoid adding a dedicated shortcode plugin to your website. Instead, you can use the following modules to add a range of useful elements to your pages: call to actions, bar counters, blurbs, countdown timers, tabs, and toggles.
Tabs give you more presentation options
These elements can be very useful when it comes to adding interactive and eye-catching elements to your posts and pages. Whether you want to increase conversion rates with a call to action button or organize your content more efficiently with tabs and toggles, there should be a module you can make use of on your website.
Final Thoughts
I hope that you’ve been introduced to some new features you can make use of while also identifying a few plugins that you can now deactivate from your site.
In some cases, when adding a new feature to your website, going with the best of breed will be the most suitable option. However, if you don’t need all the functionality of the most powerful plugin in a specific category, there is a good chance the tools you get access to with Divi might be enough.
Typically, you’ll want to keep design and functionality separate, letting your WordPress theme take care of defining how your site will look while your chosen plugins add the necessary features. However, now that the Divi Builder is available as a standalone plugin, if you do ever decide to change themes and stop using Divi or Extra, you can activate the Divi Builder plugin and overcome many potential theme lock-in issues.
Which Divi features can you use to replace a plugin on your WordPress website? Which features would you like to see incorporated into Divi in the future? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Article thumbnail image by vasabii / shutterstock.com
Loving Divi!
Would like a form builder though 😉
Not sure if I missed a step setting up an Email Optin Form while using the Extra theme, but I’m not seeing the API Key input fields in the ePanel.
I love all the features native to Divi theme. I have most needs for my site builds available at my disposal without having to go search for plugins from 3rd parties. Yes, some of the options may be limited, but do you want to spend time building sites or updating and vetting plugins? I choose the former. Even thought Divi has its flaws and limitations, I think it’s one of the best builder themes I’ve seen.
I’m a “lifetime” subscriber as well. Very much appreciate all that DIVI and Extra offer.
I’d love to see functionality for modal “pop-up” HTML content. ET’s BLOOM plugin handles this for opt-ins very well and DIVI handles modal image galleries beautifully, but it would be great to have something like WPMUDev’s “Pop-up Pro” which can handle custom HTML, CSS, and JS: https://premium.wpmudev.org/project/the-pop-over-plugin/
We’d use it to overlay video and shopping cart functionality. This is something we’ve had to pay $$ more and I’d rather pay E.T. Thanks for your time.
Wow, this seems great. However, I feel that the reason people would invest in other plugins is because most of the modules are limited in scale and functionality. For example, I was having problems with the divi slider, so I purchased a few plugins and they are doing the job perfectly with way more customization. Moreover, it would be ideal if each module, or starting off, the main modules such as the slider were to be beefed up, with more options, functionalities and complexity. Nonetheless, Divi is getting better every update. Good work Nick and the team!
That’s true.
Also, using the features of Divi can be a good way to test out whether you really want or need to add a certain element to your site, without first purchasing the corresponding high-end commercial plugin.
You can add a slider to your site with Divi, then test whether it improves conversions or not, if it does, you might want to consider investing in a more feature-rich tool.
Joe
Great blog, thank you. Are there any plans for including Campaign Monitor within the email subscribe form module?
I would love Divi to have slideshows that simply show the images.
At present a slider image needs to be manually sized if you don’t have text (header and content) over it.
I end up having to use other slideshow plugins to get the effects I want.
I agree with you. A fullscreen slider feature would be nice.
It’s not yet the right time for this post.. most of those plugins are still needed due the limitations of divi modules.. looking forward more powerful modules
Oops! Sorry Noz my first comment wasn’t supposed to be in answer to yours.
I hit the reply button by mistake 🙁
Excellent article Joe and a great reminder of just how powerful the Divi Builder is!
I’ve been using the Divi theme now for a couple of months and I’m still amazed at just how complete and versatile it is.
I’m pleased to say it certainly made a couple of add on plugins redundant on my site so a big thank you to all the Divi developers from me!
Alan Roy Hocking 🙂
As many users, I have to say that the DIVI Contact form lacks some key features:
– add fields (not with css tricks),
– custom confirmation mail
– better Capcha
Just tell us when it is ready, and gladly I’ll start using it instead of i.e.CF7.
*(sorry that I left this comment yet as an answer to Minty. I’m not familiar with the blog. Hope this time goes to the right place)
I really love Digi (best website design I ever had), but I am missing a poll function – unfortunately, all the plugins I tried did not work with Divi.
I think a slightly more enhanced module selection would really take Divi to a different level, especially with regards to having a better mega menu, integrated revolution slider and generally more features like on some of the other top selling themes like Avada for instance.
I would like to see that the Divi builder keeps a site HTML5 valid. The divi builder is the only “plugin/code” that breaks the overall site validness as it’s posting the stylesheet in the footer instead of the header where it’s supposed to be.
Another thing that would be nice is the option to set more fields for the contact form (even the default jetpack form can do much more)
I would also like the textbox/text module to be fixed and stop messing around with the tags
The custom video post type going back several years still needs a featured-image? Why not get this image dynamically from the movie itself? Although in blog mode you can see the video instead of the image the full post itself still needs an featured image…
The overall Divi menus are way to big. Maybe make the menu’s / font’s a bit smaller so we can actually focus more in the content being created.
One thing should be clear from reading all these 20+ comments.
Contact Form of Divi doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do for most of the people.
This looks nice
This looks nice
Hello, work at your own pace for some time and find your Team really professional. Also some modifications requested some time ago were then implemented in all new theme Divi. This theme is truly amazing for its simplicity and capacity. In addition, the modern layout and customizable makes it an indispensable aid for my work. I also believe, however, that it can still be improved.
An improvement could be achieved in logo positioning, it be able to make out the logo from the toolbar to highlight it and make the flat bar horizontal too less monotonous. Then I would work even on inserting megamenù, now very popular and always suited to attract attention with images and texts. Then a cookie info clickable. And important a better chance of integrating SEO, that is able to plug SEO of each page to the keywords from the title. Last, but other things I would think of thinking, greater implementation of possbilità entries in the contact form, still very current design and beautiful. Thanks for everything and keep it up.
I forgot, one other thing . Now it is mandatory to enter data and company name companies in the footer . It would be nice if you could write in the footer as in other forms and not to intervene in the footer.php editor. Thank you again.
I use the Divi Footer Editor by Elegant Market Place and works perfectly for editing the footer. Its $10 but worth the money, no need for editing footer.php or child theme just to change the footer. 🙂
The contact would be good form that gives the user the ability to add new features or items, meaning that the user can create
———————————————————————————
Al formulario de contacto seria bueno que le brindaran al usuario la posibilidad de añadir nuevas opciones o items, osea que el usuario lo pueda crear
The Divi builder is just awesome. Sure, one can always ask for more control over the modules themselves, but what they offer without any coding is unbelievable.
I am a big fan as are my clients.
I love Divi, but the contact form is seriously lacking. I don’t need anything fancy, just the ability to add a text field or two. Or even just a phone number field on your default form. Thanks for all your hard work.
No better builder is available, divi rules. I would only add a request for recapcha support on the contac forms as they tend to generate a lot of spam messages.
The divi builder is being tranformed into the most powerfull yet easy to use tool for web designer and business owners out there. No more than 10 essencial plugins will be needed in a near future
Much as I’d love to use the contact form, I find myself constantly installing Contact Form 7 because of two major things:
1) reCaptcha (“I am not a robot”) support instead of the terrible “1+4” not-really-successful spam prevention in Divi
2) The inability to customise the “success message” (short of some tedious hackery). Websites tell a story and often look to build a relationship; if someone takes the time to make contact, you want to say something like “Your message is racing towards us- soon one of the lovely people at XXX will be in touch.”, rather than a plain “Message successfully sent”.
As many users, I have to say that the DIVI Contact form lacks some key features:
– add fields (not with css tricks),
– custom confirmation mail
– better Capcha
Just tell us when it is ready, and gladly I’ll start using it instead of i.e.CF7.
I seriously have to question why other Premium WordPress Theme companies even try anymore… seriously, why?
Divi/Divi Builder is all you need!
I can agree with everything on this list except the contact form. I’ve had too many clients not get their messages (including myself when I used it on my site in the beginning). Also not storing the messages in case the message doesn’t make it to my inbox is another reason I can’t use it. SMTP plugins don’t work, and I really don’t think that’s the issue anyway, but everything else mentioned I absolutely don’t need plugins for cause Divi rocks 🙂
Same here! I have found that if you send to a gmail address, it works. That’s it! They really need to fix this…
+1! I agreed with Leslie, though the contact form module is simple and fine with her flat design, it’s not just functional! I’ve been thinking all this while that the message sent through it hit home (my email) not knowing the reverse is the case. When I shared my observation in the support forum, I was told to use another plugin to make it hit home. What! I quickly undo and disregard Divi contact form module from all my Divi sites and use another intuitive form plugin that hit home without begging another plugin before it does that. Aside this contact form flop, Divi Builder actually does reduce plugin usage in general. More module I’d love to see is sermon plugin integrated into the mix to empower us use Divi power modern church website. Tired of TF church themes already…
Thanks Joe for this post. More post on Divi modules to create please.
Compliment of the season.
Cheers!
When are you gonna build a divi header builder? Options with divi are too limited. What if you want a big name What it you want your address to show? What if you don’t want social icons? You know, something that you can build some old school looking headers along with sleek modernist types.
Yes, this is one of the big draws of Divi for me. I love how I don’t have to install tonnes of different plugins to add things like contact forms. And if there is a plugin I really need, you guys often have it. Thanks!
I love the DIVI builder in EXTRA! I am revamping my content and boy do the readers love it! Thanks Elegant Themes 🙂
Love the fact that your reduced the number of plugins, I just started playing with your platform and I must say it looks really good and moves faster than most similar products.
Keep up the good work and keep on posting.
Maybe a “suggestion box” would be a great idea to get people involved in the theme.
Here is my wishlist of plugins that I would love to see Divi replace:
– Cookie Law Info
– Dagon Design Sitemap Generator
– Google XML Sitemap for Images
– Google XML Sitemap for Mobile
– Google XML Sitemap for Videos
– Google XML Sitemaps
– Max Mega Menu (I hate the way Divi menus look, especially the clunky dropdown boxes)
– Related Posts by Zemanta
– Relevanssi (A Better Search)
Well Rochelle I really think they will do a DIVI/EXTRA update that will allow you to have a page builder type thing for the menu.
We already have modules like Sidebar and Map so why not use them in a whole new area of the site.
The problem with all of the ‘plugin replacement’ features mentioned here are possible very basic, so you almost always find yourself searching for a better alternative. For me:
The contact form
– need to be able to add fields, at least a phone number
– needs to send a confirmation copy to the sender
Testimonials
– needs to be published with rich schema.org markup
– needs a x out of xx start rating
– needs a form so customers can enter testimonials
Google Maps
– needs full address entry with schema.org markup
– needs a link to get driving directions from the users current location to your location
One last thing, you guys keep on asking in blog posts and on social media what features and enhancements users would like to see. All wishes are all over the place and people keep on giving you the same ideas but after that you don’t follow up with feedback and you don’t give insight in what you are going to implement. Same thing if you submit a request in the support forum. You say ‘thank you for your idea, we’ll consider it’ and then you close the ticket.
I would like to suggest that you start using uservoice.com, getsatisfaction.com or a similar system (I have a list if you want) for registering requests. It allows users to submit their idea and other users can vote for them and add comments. You can also add comments, see what is most asked for and give status updates like considering, planned, declined etc.
What do you use for SEO? If you use Yoast SEO, you also get sitemap functionality.
I am a “Lifetime Access” member – I haven’t built a site with Divi yet, but I am eager to check it out, and find out if all of the “replacements” you’ve mentioned in this article actually perform at a high-level replacing the other premium plugins that I currently use.
I’m most excited to check out:
– How the Divi Page Builder compares to the SiteOrigin Page builder
– The power of the Email Optin Forms. I currently use WordPress Popups Premium from Timersys (with Mailchimp)
– Interactive Google Maps – Responsiveness with Google Maps is always tricky.
Divi modules are missing option to select from custom post type taxonomies.
I can only show items from regular wordpress posts.
This is a very important feature that i hope you will integrate soon
THIS! Including support for custom post types in divi builder + category builder would really come in handy.
Yes, support for custom post types would be super useful… It nice that Divi allows us to build a great looking site, but when you need something beyond the sales look that many sites have you use custom post data.
They either need to add support for a custom post plugin or do their own custom post plugin which would be nice.
Brace Jerkovic 74e
To help ditch any contact form plugins please consider adding a Tel number field to the Divi contact form.
Using Contact Form 7 just to create a form that contains a Tel number field which is a common requirement for many sites is just frustrating for us Divi users 😉
Great article Joe. I would love to be able to edit the footer attribution directly rather than using a third party plugin, in this case divi booster. Also, being able to add thumbnail images to the recent posts widget in the sidebar would be nice, you have it in Extra but not Divi so I use an additional plugin here also.
With an optin form (subscriber) connected to Mailchimp result in the subscriber automatically getting an email when a new blog entry is added?
It depends on how you configure MailChimp.
There is an option in MailChimp to automatically send out a newsletter at set intervals with details of new posts on your blog.
Or you can choose to create your own newsletter emails to be sent out to your subscribers via MailChimp.
I think the one part of Divi that isn’t very helpful is the contact form. I has absolutely no options for customization to even add or change a few of the fields. Would be nice to have at least a little customization there. Maybe in a future update, that’ll be available.
I definitely love the pricing tables and tabbed content features though. Makes for a simple easy to setup homepage & pricing page.
Agreed! The contact forms on DIVI only work for me when SENDING to a gmail address. When I try to have it go to any other email address, it doesn’t work. VERY FRUSTRATING!
agree. The contact form works fine but a little customisation would be great. It’s a pain to install another plugin just for a couple more fields, plus Contact form 7 needs tweaking for some mobile browsers.
I agree with this.
The contact module doesn’t even work properly as the name wasn’t being included with the sent message. Support told me to use Contact Form 7 instead.
The testimonial module is also extremely basic as doesn’t include the option to rotate/slide through testimonials, therefore to do this you need to use third party plugins.
So although the modules are included, they are more basic than third party plugins so to get full functionality I find myself installing those instead.
+1 for this. I was surprised that the sender of a message with the contact form doesn’t even get a copy of what they wrote. So, I’ll continue to use Contact Form 7.
+1 again regarding the contact form – I’m always pointing out that without the ability to even include a phone number field it has virtually no use at all for most of my clients.
+1 for this one. Nothing has been done for this since the introduction and in the forums Contact Form 7 is suggested as complementary plugin most of the time. I simply want to change the fields in the contact form and everytime I have to install CF7 as well after installing Divi.
agreed. contact form is a bit lame.
additional fields.
radio buttons
and all you need in a contact form should please be considered in the next divi update
I agree the contact form could be better.
how is this different from Visual composer or any other page builder out there? Please explain
Both serve the same purpose. I think Visual Composer is far more feature-filled, but Divi Builder has the advantage of “buy once, use as much as you want” where-as VC is a “one-site-per-license” deal.
This. And I find VC to be fiddly when it comes to basic things like dragging and dropping, where Divi has always felt spot-on. Another great thing they have added since Divi came out is built-in page preview so you don’t have to save changes and then preview the page the traditional way to see how it looks. I’m not sure if VC has a plugin for that, but it’s not built in.
DIVI has a different user interface for one thing.
Both DIVI and EXTRA need some new modules and module enhancements to really have as many features at Visual Composer…
Right now though Visual Composer does have wayy more add-on plugins at the moment.
Agreed. DIvi is a bit too late to the party. It’s not only that it pales in comparison wen it comes to Visual composer, there is also a huge echosystem of modules that add A LOT on top of already awesome VC – lie Ultimate addons, Takenawa scrpts and so on.
Gaining up on VC would be close to impossible for Divi, but getting echosystem around its page builder… that would be even harder.
I wish them really good luck, Divi is a good theme.
I think everything will get better after they release documentation.
They may be a bit late, but they can certainly catch up with some improvements.
Please add the ability to add PHP code in the text view of the Divi Builder. At the moment it escapes “<" characters rendering the code useless. I have tried all the top PHP plugins and they all word with every other WP template we have used, EXCEPT Divi. Writing a function to perform the most simple PHP code is not a solution. This lack of ability has forced us to abandon Divi, as much as we love all the other features it offers. I know we are not alone.
Try working with shortcodes. See: http://www.sitepoint.com/create-custom-shortcodes-for-wordpress-in-two-minutes/
Works for me with Divi. There are plugins for this.
Thank you much for highlighting Divi’s wide-ranging and expanding features! It will be exciting to see how this foundation will grow with developer-community-generated content to come. The foundation is already very strong.
Regarding future module additions that may replace plugins, one that perhaps may be of use for the Divi Builder would be a Table of Contents module (taking into consideration plugins like https://wordpress.org/plugins/table-of-contents-plus/, which was highlighted in a previous ET blog article). Whether it’s posts or pages in Extra, Divi, or other themes using the Divi Builder, a ToC would be a fantastic way to engage users. Having this functionality built into the Divi framework (with its design and editing strengths) would be a useful addition.
On the back-end, and seeing as the Divi Builder will be set to grow with more modules in the future (including ones generated by the community), it would be great to be able to “filter” modules by different categories, such as Media (images, video, audio, etc.), Data (pricing table, circle counter, countdown, etc.), User Engagement (social follow, email opt-in, contact form, etc.), or other categories. It’s probably not an issue now, but as the number of modules grows significantly, the ability to quickly narrow down the most relevant choices would be a practical feature.
Thanks again for your great work!
Well This Blog can use a post on plugins you can use to extend the Extra theme until they make some of the major changes people in support forum want.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/pojo-sidebars/
and
https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-pages/
As a very active “lifetime access user” I’d rather like to see Divi (and the ET Themes in general) concentrate more on core features. Instead of providing very limited functionality in many areas (e.g. basic contact form without any mail templates or other advanced functionality) I´d rather love to see ET themes to be bundled with CSS/design files for the major plugins that are used throughout the WordPress community for that purpose (e.g. Contact Form 7 for forms). This way ET themes would provide outstanding design as well as advanced functionality. Right now I can only have simple functionality (by using the Divi features) or mediocre design (by using plugins with default design settings).
Thanks for listening & have a nice 2016!
Good article an very useful, I am finishing my site and days ago I was using a lot of plugins, one for slider another for another thing.etc and really some plugins can upside down your site. And when I met Extra I was very happy with a lot of features that have and thanks to the divi really reduces the number of plugins and gain stability.
Although I like all features of Divi but call to action, slider and music module are very useful for me and help avoid to install more plugins.
As a suggestion: in magazine blog layout in Extra now you can only ad featured post slider but I would like also a normal slider .
Google Map styling, would be nice.