WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources
by Rinku Y · Performance
Also makes 5 other plugins · 12.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Boost your WordPress site speed by removing query strings from CSS and JS files — improve your GTmetrix, PageSpeed, and Pingdom scores instantly.
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Health
A 85/100
Few reviews
Active installs
3K+
≈3.5K estimated
Momentum
+15%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “page speed” and “performance” for “static” and “cache busting”. “page speed” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “static” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “cache busting” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
85 health vs 69 average across 1,809 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.2%
of downloads still active
At least 3K of 57.6K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,104 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 5 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
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.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 113 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 5 reviews, smoothed to 4.18★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
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.
36
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
15%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| resources | #1 | #5 | 0 |
| remove query strings your tag | #1 | #3 | 0 |
| remove query strings from static resources | #1 | #5 | 0 |
| query strings your tag | #1 | #4 | up 1 |
| static resources your tag | #2 | #5 | 0 |
| strings | #2 | #8 | 0 |
| remove query string | #1 | #5 | 0 |
| query | #5 | #15 | 0 |
| static | #6 | #16 | down 2 |
| static website | #4 | #18 | 0 |
| cache busting | #8 | #13 | down 1 |
| gtmetrix | #12 | #23 | down 2 |
| static site | #10 | #19 | down 1 |
| static html | #10 | #18 | down 3 |
| static css | #8 | #16 | 0 |
| static files | #8 | #17 | down 2 |
| remove | #22 | #19 | down 3 |
| static cache | #15 | #18 | down 1 |
| static page | #9 | #19 | 0 |
| queries | #17 | #21 | down 3 |
| page speed your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| performance your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
74 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 48 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “page speed” and “performance” for “static” and “cache busting”. “page speed” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “static” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “cache busting” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 6.5K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
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
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
5
releases in the last 12 months
4mo ago
latest release · v2.4 · 11 Jul 2026
9
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 37% 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 “3K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 11 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 3 May 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ RoJackal1.6y ago
good and useful plugin
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Sepi2.3y ago
good plugin and useful, thanks hope to see updates
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jimmy Lee3.0y ago
Thank You!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Presidency.io9.2y ago
Hardly ever leave reviews, but this one deserves it. Works like a charm right out of the box.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Rinku Y9.2y ago
If you need support, Please create a support topic.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.4 Added: Strict file extension checking to ensure only .css and .js files are processed, protecting dynamic PHP scripts. Added: Safely ignores external resources to prevent breaking third-party APIs like Google Maps. Impro 2.4
- — Version 2.3 Plugin check issues fixed Improved code 2.3
- — Version 2.2 Fixed: Replaced unsafe strtok() with explode() to prevent conflicts with other plugins and WordPress core loops. 2.2
- — Version 2.0 Improved: Removed unnecessary class property, filter callback now uses local variable Improved: Strip all query string parameters (not just ?ver and &ver) Improved: Plugin initialised via plugins_loaded hook for correct 2.0
- — Version 1.8 Remove additional class 1.8
- — Version 1.7 Added additional class 1.7
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 1 language, 0 at 90% or more
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
7 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Boost your WordPress site speed by removing query strings from CSS and JS files — improve your GTmetrix, Pa..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Google Maps.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 3 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,950 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "Page Speed" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-11-22 4K+ → 3K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2025-11-20 3K+ → 4K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2025-11-17 4K+ → 3K+ down after 8 days in tier
- 2025-11-09 3K+ → 4K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-08 4K+ → 3K+ down after 4 days in tier
- 2025-11-04 3K+ → 4K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-03 4K+ → 3K+ down after 280 days in tier
- 2025-01-27 3K+ → 4K+ up after 1 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).
-
TinyPNG Image Optimization – Image Compression JPEG & PNG | Convert to WebP & AVIF 100K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
NitroPack – Performance, Page Speed & Cache Plugin for Core Web Vitals, CDN & Image Optimization 80K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
Insights from Google PageSpeed 10K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Featherweight 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B -
Solid Performance – Your No-Code Caching, Performance, & Page Speed Solution 4K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
Powered Cache – Caching and Optimization for WordPress – Easily Improve PageSpeed & Web Vitals Score 3K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-remove-query-strings-from-static-resources" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP Remove Query Strings From Static Resources: 3K+ active installs, 5.0★ (5 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-remove-query-strings-from-static-resources
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