WordPress plugins are utilities that provide additional functionality to your application. To install a plugin you just need to put the plugin files into the wp-content/plugins directory. Once a plugin is installed, you may activate it or deactivate it from the Plugins menu in your WP administration.

In WordPress 2.7 and above you can install plugins directly from the admin area. Download the plugin to your computer, then log in to your WP admin area and go to Plugins > Add New.

Browse to the plugin archive and select it. Then click Install Now and the plugin will be installed shortly.

The removal is also straight-forward in most cases. Remove the directory for the plugin you would like to uninstall and it will be automatically deactivated. Still, always bear in mind that not all plugins are easy to install, so always refer to their documentation and installation instructions first.