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

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 “coffeescript”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 6 plugins are 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

WPBetterCodeHighlighting shows at wp.org #5 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its — installs carry it up the search order; its 0.0★ average from 0 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WP Help places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 54 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ · 4.8★ (50) wp.org #2 1 too low 2

CodeKit – Custom Codes Editor 7K+ · 4.8★ (16) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #1 1 too high 3 P Page Links To 100K+ · 4.9★ (157) wp.org #6 3 too low 4

CodeColorer 1K+ · 4.9★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #3 1 too high 5 U Urvanov Syntax Highlighter 3K+ · 4.5★ (19) thin reviews wp.org #4 1 too high 6

WP Help 9K+ · 4.8★ (54) closure risk stale but ranked wp.org #10 4 too low 7

Pastacode 400+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #7 8 S Scripts n Styles 30K+ · 4.4★ (30) closure risk wp.org #11 3 too low 9

WPBetterCodeHighlighting — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement wp.org #5 7 too high 13 F Front-end Editor 500+ · 4.0★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #21 8 too low 14 W WPygments 10+ · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 3 too low 15 P Prism Syntax Highlighter (detached) 10+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #19 4 too low 16

SimpleSocial 100+ · 3.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #9 7 too high 17

Name: Amazing Neo Brands 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 5 too high 18 W WP-Gistpen 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 5 too high 19 W WP Colored Coding 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #18 1 too high 20 W WP CoffeeScript 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 21 W wp-syntax-highlighter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 1 too low 22 P PCSH (PastaCode and SyntaxHighlighter) 10+ · 3.0★ (2) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 7 too high

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.