- Functionality: Will the code you write or the prebuilt solution you found do everything you need?
- Documentation: Is there documentation for the prebuilt solution, like instructions or a manual, that is well written with examples?
- Community and support: If something goes wrong while writing your code, is there a community you can turn to for help? Similarly, does the prebuilt solution have support options you can turn to if needed?
- Ease of implementation: Is implementation as simple as copying a few lines of code? Or is a more complex setup or an installation of other supporting software necessary?
- Price: Every solution has a price, whether it is the time spent coding your own solution or the money paid for someone else’s prebuilt code. Think carefully about whether your time or your money is more important to you at this stage.
W3Schools is a good resource for help with your coding. They offer online tutorials which cover an abundance of coding topics.