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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “environmental variables”

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 “environmental variables”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 19. 3 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

WeatherBot Weather Widget shows at wp.org #6 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 40+ 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

ICS Calendar places #3 on merit, 4.9★ from 72 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) wp.org #5 4 too low 2 Simple SMTP 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #2 ↑1 3 ICS Calendar 10K+ · 4.9★ (72) wp.org #9 ↑3 6 too low 4 Polski for WooCommerce 60+ · 4.8★ (10) wp.org #3 ↓2 1 too high 5 Apocalypse Meow 300+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too low 6 Advanced IP Blocker 3K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #13 7 too low 7 Product Fees for WooCommerce 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #1 ↑1 6 too high 8 Easy Key-Values 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 GreenMetrics – Website Carbon Footprint, Sustainability & Performance Metrics 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 2 too high 10 O OneSeed Tree Planting for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 11 Shoplex – EU Compliance for WooCommerce — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 3 too high 12 Klarna for WooCommerce 20K+ · 2.3★ (20) wp.org #15 3 too low 13 Agency Toolkit 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 5 too low 14 WeatherBot Weather Widget 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 Digital Product Passport for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 Lwakit Carbon Footprint Tracker — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 CartHacker Trust Badges & Seals — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 18 Fediverse Embeds 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 ReSpek Nature — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19

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.