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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “css versioning”

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 “css versioning”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Manage/Remove version number from CSS & JS shows at wp.org #3 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

License Manager for WooCommerce places #6 on merit, 4.6★ from 147 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Prevent Browser Caching 10K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule 10K+ · 4.0★ (128) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Disable Comments 1M+ · 4.7★ (281) wp.org #6 3 too low 4 Menu Cart for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.6★ (99) wp.org #9 5 too low 5 Disable CSS JS Cache 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #1 4 too high 6 License Manager for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.6★ (147) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 Code Embed 10K+ · 4.4★ (45) wp.org #7 8 Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter 10K+ · 4.8★ (65) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Offload Media – Cloud Storage 1K+ · 4.4★ (18) wp.org #8 1 too high 10 WP Menu Cart 8K+ · 4.8★ (23) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 WP Compress – Instant Performance & Speed Optimization 9K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #19 8 too low 12 Product Badge, Label, Countdown Timer for WooCommerce – Sale Booster 5K+ · 4.8★ (30) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 Include Mastodon Feed 800+ · 5.0★ (16) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 iPanorama 360 – Advanced Virtual Tour Builder 4K+ · 4.5★ (31) wp.org #23 9 too low 15 Surbma | Divi & Gravity Forms 9K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 Manage/Remove version number from CSS & JS 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 13 too high 17 SCSS WP Editor 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Simple Custom Code – Custom CSS, JS, and HTML, Visual CSS Customizer 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 13 too high 19 Weaver Show Sliders 900+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 AI Discovery Files – llms.txt & AI Visibility 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Block Class Manager – Global CSS Classes & Responsive Styles for Gutenberg 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 6 too high 22 C CSS & JS Refresher 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Speedx – Maintenance Mode 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #17 6 too high 24 ConsentOwl — Cookie Consent & Tracker Blocker 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 2 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.