Asynchronous Javascript
by Paris Holley · Uncategorized
Also makes 1 other plugin · 200+ installs across the portfolio →
Improve page load performance by asynchronously loading javascript using head.js
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
D 46/100
Stale · Likely abandoned · Few reviews · Open vulnerability
Active installs
100+
≈190 estimated
Momentum
+4%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “async”, “asynchronous” and “javascript” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
46 health vs 58 average across 25,735 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.3%
of downloads still active
At least 100 of 36.9K lifetime downloads are still running, below its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,766 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 12+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 3.5.2, well behind 6.8.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Under-optimized
Most to gain: Update recency
Updated 4746 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 3.5.2; the current branch is 6.8
3.7★ over 9 reviews, smoothed to 4.04★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 4746 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| headjs your tag | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| async your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| asynchronous your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| javascript your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| js your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
1 search this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “async”, “asynchronous” and “javascript” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,487 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 218 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank
Ranked about #13,300 to #16,400, alongside the other plugins at 100+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 21 Oct 2026.
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
13.0y ago
latest release · v1.3.5 · 2 Nov 2013
12
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “100+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2 months ago and the previous band took 15 months to cross, so the real count is still just under 200.
Install history since 12 Sep 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ RSteinmann11.8y ago
It worked out fine! I wanted to load my script async to increase performance and the scoring in Google PageSpeed Insights. It worked out pretty good and simple with this plugin. It still generates 1 script that doesn’t load async though. But I guess there is no simple way to integrate that inline!?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ guerrilladigital11.9y ago
Yep. Kicked out a gnarly error on WP 4.0.1. Oh well.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ danteangeles12.1y ago
Will make your page loads very fast. Amazing.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gregkeet12.3y ago
Hi, Tested Asynchronous Javascript on our website. It lowered page speed by two points on google page speed and did not remove the javascript render blocking warning.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kertoon12.4y ago
I use your plugin together with the other two (WP Deferred JavaScripts and WP Fastest Cache). They all have helped to improve the page loading time tremendously well. I have mentioned all the three plugins over [Moderator note: Please don’t put links in your review] Thank you so much.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Grzegorz.Janoszka12.6y ago
I tried some other, but they provided more issues than they solved. This one just works. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ karelnet13.2y ago
This plugin is a good idea as many speed tests shows error about JS and CSS that are not asynchronous. But : – Some of my JS were broken by the plugin (Layer Slider) – Nothing is done about CSS so you still have the problem. Installing one more plugin for CSS, pfff Good luck for your work
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Damien13.2y ago
This plugin is amazing. It took 14 render-blocking javascript files and made them async. Didn’t even have to set anything up. Great job!!
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence Intelligence1 open vulnerability affects the current version (1.3.5). 0 of 1 disclosed are patched.
- 2026-01-27 CVE-2025-68846 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.3.5 No patch available
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.2.4
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Improve page load performance by asynchronously loading javascript using head.js"
- ! Has a FAQ Only 1 question in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 0 of 1 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("undefined").
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Jetpack.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 2 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 815 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "headjs" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-08-31 200+ → 100+ down after 445 days in tier
- 2025-06-12 300+ → 200+ down after 438 days in tier
- 2024-03-31 400+ → 300+ down after 288 days in tier
- 2023-06-17 500+ → 400+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2023-06-15 400+ → 500+ up after 7 days in tier
- 2023-06-08 500+ → 400+ down after 3 days in tier
- 2023-06-05 400+ → 500+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2023-06-04 500+ → 400+ down after 216 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- A Async JS and CSS 700+ installs · 4.1★ · 5 shared tags D
- H Head.WP 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 4 shared tags
-
Async JavaScript 60K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags C - S SOGO Add Script to Individual Pages Header Footer 20K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D
- S Shadowbox JS 1K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D
- W WP Minify Fix 800+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Asynchronous Javascript into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/asynchronous-javascript" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Asynchronous Javascript — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Asynchronous Javascript: 100+ active installs, 3.7★ (9 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/asynchronous-javascript
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