Defer Parsing JavaScript For Slider Revolution

I think Slider Revolution is OK. I use it because it has an easy to use admin UI and a lot of transitions. I can give a client access to it and they will easily be able to add and update their slides as they need.

The major negative with Slider Revolution is that once you get under the hood, you can see what a mess the code is. The problems with the code has been brought to our attention through various bugs and patches, most recently the SoakSoak Comprimise. Keeping up to date on recent security patches and updates is always a good idea; but specifically on a WordPress plugin that is so popular, yet so poorly written, it is a necessity.

Besides the security concerns, my other main complaint with Slider Revolution is the way they add the JavaScript files.

self::addScriptWaitFor("jquery.themepunch.tools.min","rs-plugin/js",'tp-tools', $waitfor);
self::addScriptWaitFor("jquery.themepunch.revolution.min","rs-plugin/js",'revmin','tp-tools');

I am just not a fan of adding JavaScript like that, when WordPress has a built in functions for doing the same thing. The lack of using core functions like that, makes me question whether this plugin was written specifically for WordPress or if it is pieced together from php and js that is recompiled and sold to other CMS users.

Anyway… I wanted to move the js files to defer the parsing of javascript files to the footer so that they loaded later on in the users session.

The solution I came up with was to deregister the jquery.themepunch.tools.min & jquery.themepunch.revolution.min and then to re-add them using wp enqueue script.

The WordPress codex has documentation on wp enqueue script but here is an overview:
wp_enqueue_script( $handle, $src, $deps, $ver, $in_footer );

See that $in_footer?
That is where the magic will happen. If we set this to true the js files will be deferred into the footer where they belong.

And here is the code to add to your site as you like:

function revslider_scripts_cleanup() {
//DeRegister jquery.themepunch.tools.min
wp_deregister_script( 'jquery.themepunch.tools.min' );
//DeRegister jquery.themepunch.revolution.min
wp_deregister_script( 'jquery.themepunch.revolution.min' );
	
//Enqueue js files in footer
wp_enqueue_script('jquery.themepunch.tools.min', plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) . 'revslider/rs-plugin/js/jquery.themepunch.tools.min.js', array(), '',  true);
wp_enqueue_script('jquery.themepunch.revolution.min', plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) . 'revslider/rs-plugin/js/jquery.themepunch.revolution.min.js', array(), '',  true);
}

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'revslider_scripts_cleanup' );