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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “backcompat”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “backcompat”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

No Update Nag shows at wp.org #6 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

merit plugin wp.org
1 K KIA Subtitle 7K+ · 5.0★ (18) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Hide Broken Shortcodes 400+ · 4.5★ (10) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Years Ago Today 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 BP Classic 6K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #1 3 too high 5 One Click Close Comments 5K+ · 4.9★ (10) wp.org #8 3 too low 6 wpuntexturize 900+ · 4.6★ (12) wp.org #9 3 too low 7 Kama Click Counter 800+ · 3.9★ (9) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 Quick Drafts Access 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Multiple Domain 10K+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #20 ↑1 11 too low 10 IndieAuth 400+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 ↓2 3 too high 11 JSON Feed (jsonfeed.org) 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 ↑1 1 too low 12 No Update Nag 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 ↑1 6 too high 13 Remember Me Controls 4K+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too low 14 Single Category Permalink 400+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #21 ↑1 7 too low 15 Get Custom Field Values 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too low 16 Force Admin Color Scheme 500+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 Expandable Dashboard Recent Comments 30+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too high 18 Bulk Plugin Toggle — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↑1 2 too high 19 No Browser Nag 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↑1 2 too high 20 Orbem Studio — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 Safe Function Call 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 ↑1 6 too high 22 Always Allow Admin Comments 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 Admin Expert Mode 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 F Featured Item Metabox 80+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.