customization - What is the quickest way to make a widget? in WordPress

The Widgets API is the quickest way to make a widget that's reusable. Example use:

class My_Widget extends WP_Widget { /** * PHP4 constructor */ function My_Widget() { My_Widget::__construct(); } /** * PHP5 constructor */ function __construct() { // actual widget processes } /** * Echo the settings update form * * @param array $instance Current settings */ function form($instance) { // outputs the options form on admin } /** * Update a particular instance * * @param array $new_instance New settings for this instance as input by the user via form() * @param array $old_instance Old settings for this instance * @return array Settings to save or bool (false) to cancel saving */ function update($new_instance, $old_instance) { // processes widget options to be saved } /** * Echo the widget content * * @param array $args Display arguments including before_title, after_title, before_widget, and after_widget * @param array $instance The settings for the particular instance of this widget */ function widget($args, $instance) { // outputs the content of the widget }
}
register_widget('My_Widget');