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How to Create a Custom jQuery Plugin?

Hi guys, in this tutorial, you will learn how to create a custom jQuery plugin by following the simple steps. At the end of this tutorial, you will be able to convert any jQuery function or logic into the plugin and then use it.

A plugin is simply an extension of the core jQuery library. It adds functionality or extends the capabilities of the library, though it can also be used as a stand-alone library.

Creating a custom jQuery plugin is not as difficult as you might think. In fact, if you have experience with jQuery, it’s easy for you. But if you’re new to Javascript and DOM manipulation, creating your own custom jQuery plugin can be a little difficult.

Don’t worry!!!

We’re going to walk you through the steps of how to create a custom jQuery plugin from scratch. And building your first code snippet to add functionality and test your plugin. Let’s get started!

How jQuery Works?

Before making our own plugin, we must know about the basics of jQuery and how its works. See the following piece of code.

In this above code, do you know what is happening???

When you use $ to select elements, it returns a jQuery object. This object has all the methods we have used (.css(), .addClass(), .removeClass(), .click(), etc.)

And jQuery object gets these methods from the $.fn object, and this object has all the jQuery object methods. We need this object to create a custom plugin.

Create a jQuery Plugin

To create a jQuery custom own plugin, we will use the jQuery library, you can download it or use the CDN link of it.

Download Link: https://jquery.com/download/

CDN Link: https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.6.0/jquery.min.js

There are many ways to create a custom jQuery plugin, you can build from scratch or you can use the API. But we will discuss how to a basic built plugin from scratch.

Basic Plugin Structure

Let’s create a simple basic plugin to change the color of anchor text by taking the reference of the above example code line.

First, we have to add a function to the $.fn object and it will be available just like other jQuery methods. Let’s say the name of the function is “setColor“.

Then you can call the setColor() function as you call other jQuery methods.

This will work, but you have to make the chainable plugin method work flawlessly, so add just one line of code at the end.

Adding Scope and Protecting $ Alias

You can add scope to your jQuery object. It will also automatically set the $ alias for all of your jQuery objects. This is useful when you have multiple scripts on your page that use jQuery, and you need to prevent them from interfering with each other.

So, to work properly with other plugins or scripts and want to use a $ alias, you have to put your all code inside of Immediately Invoked Function Expression, and pass the function jQuery and $ as a parameter.

In this function, you can also make your own private variables to store the values and then use them where you need.

Setting up Default Options and Accept Options

To set up the default options, you have to make your plugin customizable. So you can accept the options while using the plugin’s method.

You will definitely need to set up default options and accept the options when your plugin gets more and more complex.

So, the best way to accept the options, use the object literal because you may have lots of options. And to set up the default values, use the $.extend method. See the following example.

Now see the following code of usage of the plugin method with options.

That’s it!!!

Now you have an understanding of creating a jQuery plugin and can make your own first plugin as you want.

Conclusion

So, in this tutorial, you learned about how to create a custom jQuery plugin to extend the features or add new features. You learned how we can use the $.fn object to create a plugin with the scope and accept the options.

Hope it will help you to gain knowledge. If you like it please share it with your friends or in groups and if you have any queries please do let me know in the comment section, and I will help you with that.

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About Aman Mehra

Hey there! I'm Aman Mehra, a full-stack developer with over six years of hands-on experience in the industry. I've dedicated myself to mastering the ins and outs of PHP, WordPress, ReactJS, NodeJS, and AWS, so you can trust me to handle your web development needs with expertise and finesse. In 2021, I decided to share my knowledge and insights with the world by starting this blog. It's been an incredible journey so far, and I've had the opportunity to learn and grow alongside my readers. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just dipping your toes into the world of web development, I'm here to provide valuable content and solutions to help you succeed. So, stick around, explore the blog, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or suggestions. Together, let's navigate the exciting world of web development!

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