Hello Dolly is among the most popular installed, yet the most useless WordPress plugins in the entire WordPress repository.

New WordPress users might have noticed this plugin, after setting up their WordPress software. That is because Hello Dolly comes pre-installed and bundled with the WordPress CMS.

The brainchild of WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, Hello Dolly, was released back in May of 2004. Since then, Hello Dolly has been included in every version of WordPress.

This plugin features the famous lyrics of the song “Hello Dolly”, performed by the legendary trumpeter & vocalist Louis Armstrong.

The plugin’s WordPress repository page describes the plugin as quote:

This is not just a plugin, it symbolizes the hope and enthusiasm of an entire generation summed up in two words sung most famously by Louis Armstrong: Hello, Dolly.

To us, this is very poetic and uplifting, but in practical use, Hello Dolly the plugin has no use in WordPress. It’s just a fun Easter egg.

According to information from WordPress.org, Hello Dolly has been averaging over 800,000 active installation counts as it keeps getting into new WordPress installations and users keep removing it.

Some may even consider Hello Dolly as a demo plugin that showcases that their WordPress installation/hosting is working properly with this simple plugin.