There exists a plethora of third-party Moodle software that add new functionalities, fix problems, or integrate Moodle with external systems and cloud services. Let's start with an overview of third-party software.
Moodle comes with a number of core modules that include Activity modules (for example, Quiz and Assignment), Filters (Multimedia plugin or Algebra notation), Blocks (Calendar). It also contains a number of other components, such as Enrolments and Authentication plugins, course and grade reports, Repositories and Portfolios, Question types, and so on. While the provided functionalities sufficiently satisfy a majority of users, there is a growing demand for additional software. Also, requirements change over time and new functionalities, for instance, those that provide support for certain social networking activities, are needed in your Moodle system.
Due to Moodle's open source nature and modularity (that's what the M in Moodle stands for, after all), it is relatively straightforward for developers to add new functionalities or modify existing features. These can range from minor modifications (patches) or hacks to full-blown modules. You can get access to the Plugin directory page by visiting https://moodle.org/plugins/, which contains all the approved non-core modules and themes.
You have a number of options to navigate through the plugin directory:
- Using Search with the help of a keyword
- Using Categories that are shown on the front page of plugins
- Using Navigation in the side block where you can also register new plugins
Either way, you should always end up with a list of add-ons. Once you click on the name of a plugin, you will be provided with details, such as its description, installation instructions, statistics, and so on.
At the time of writing this, there are over 1,100 third-party Moodle software titles, and the number is growing continuously. You will find all kinds of add-ons, ranging from the weird and wonderful to the very powerful.