How to Create a Simple Blogroll in WordPress Without Plugins

Recent Trends in Site-Built Link Curation

Over the past several release cycles, WordPress has seen a shift away from its early default inclusion of the Links Manager feature. Many site owners now rely on plugins to manage outbound link collections—what was once called a blogroll. However, an observable trend among performance-conscious publishers is a return to native, plugin-free approaches. Reducing plugin count, improving page-load speed, and maintaining long-term editorial control are driving this renewed interest in core WordPress functionality.

Background: How the Blogroll Feature Evolved

WordPress originally shipped with a built-in Links Manager that let users create categorized lists of external links. That feature was removed from the default installation in 2016. It remains available for those who enable it via the admin panel, but its exclusion from new installs led many to treat the blogroll as a "legacy" component. For editors who want a simple, updatable link list without adding a plugin, the core solution still exists—and requires only a few configuration steps.

User Concerns Addressed by a Plugin-Free Blogroll

• Performance overhead: Even lightweight plugins add CSS and JavaScript. A native approach keeps the page lean.
• Plugin maintenance: Many link-management plugins deprecate or lag behind WordPress updates, creating security risks.
• Editorial control: Using a widget or manual HTML requires updating theme files. The Links Manager offers a central interface that non-developers can manage.
• Theme independence: A blogroll built from core data persists even if the user switches themes, unlike hardcoded footer links.

Likely Impact of This Approach on Site Management

Adopting a plugin-free blogroll typically reduces the administrative surface area. Editors gain a familiar WordPress-native interface (similar to how posts and pages are managed) that does not require third-party support. The main trade-off is that the Links Manager must be manually enabled—usually by adding a single line to the active theme’s functions.php or using a network setting in multisite environments. Once active, the workflow mirrors that of older WordPress versions, which many experienced users already understand.

For publishers who prioritize stability and long-term maintainability, this method eliminates one more dependency. The biggest impact is on agencies and teams that maintain multiple sites: consistent, plugin-free link management reduces the audit burden over time.

What to Watch Next

• WordPress core feature decisions: The project occasionally revisits deprecated features. Any announcement about incorporating a simplified link-relationship tool in the block editor would reshape this practice.
• Block-based alternatives: As the Site Editor matures, custom block patterns may offer an even simpler, code-free way to manage a blogroll without plugins or the classic Links Manager.
• Security and accessibility guidance: Watch for updated best practices from WordPress community authorities on how to structure rel attributes and link metadata without plugin assistance.
• Theme support trends: If more block themes include native link-list blocks, the need for the Links Manager workaround may decline further.

For now, the enable-one-line approach remains a stable, lightweight solution for anyone who wants a simple, editable blogroll without introducing a plugin dependency.