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

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 “graphql”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 5 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

WPGraphQL for ACF shows at wp.org #3 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 10K+ 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

WP Event Aggregator: Import Eventbrite events, Meetup events, social events and any iCal Events into Event Calendar places #9 on merit, 4.6★ from 54 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPGraphQL 30K+ · 4.9★ (48) wp.org #1 2 Table Field Add-on for ACF and SCF 50K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #2 ↑3 3 Advanced Custom Fields: Font Awesome Field 90K+ · 4.9★ (36) wp.org #6 ↓2 3 too low 4 Better Font Awesome 60K+ · 4.5★ (88) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 Code Block Pro – Beautiful Syntax Highlighting 10K+ · 4.8★ (50) wp.org #13 ↓1 8 too low 6 Event Espresso – Event Registration & Ticketing Sales 500+ · 4.4★ (136) wp.org #16 ↓1 10 too low 7 WPGraphQL Yoast SEO Addon 10K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 ↓1 3 too high 8 Faust.js 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 WP Event Aggregator: Import Eventbrite events, Meetup events, social events and any iCal Events into Event Calendar 1K+ · 4.6★ (54) wp.org #22 ↓1 13 too low 10 Custom API for WP 1K+ · 4.8★ (45) wp.org #17 ↓1 7 too low 11 WPGraphQL Smart Cache 5K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 ↓1 2 too high 12 User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 7 too high 13 Frontend View For Headless CMS 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #12 ↓2 1 too high 14 ACF Galerie 4 2K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15 Blink For WooCommerce 50+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓1 16 WPGraphQL for ACF 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #3 ↓1 13 too high 17 Stellate 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18 DB-Views: Dashboards, Data Tables and Webforms 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓1 6 too low 19 Catalogue de formation Digiforma 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 WPGraphQL IDE 1K+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓1 6 too high 21 Add WPGraphql Send Mail 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Connector for Mobilizon 30+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 Rankology SEO and Analytics Tool 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 5 too high 24 Parse.ly 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 5 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.