jquery plugin error "Uncaught TypeError: $(...).[plugin function] is not a function"

Question

I am using Magento 2.2.6 and I am trying to include a jquery plugin (stickybits, in this case). The jquery plugin file is successfully called in my requirejs-config.js file and I can see that the file is correctly loaded in the head

When I try to call the particular plugin in my standard js file where I call many other jquery functions, I get the error:

Uncaught TypeError: $(...).stickybits is not a function

This does not even seem to be a jquery issue as I cannot even call the regular js version of that function and I get the error:

Uncaught ReferenceError: stickybits is not defined

I have tried clearing the caches but it did not help.

Answer 1

Every 3rd party plugin needs to be mapped in the requirejs-config.js file and "shim" to connect it to jquery; then the plugin needs to be called specifically under "require" in your regular js files