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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “html validation”

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 “html validation”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 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

HTML Validation shows at wp.org #4 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 20 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 1.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 1916 reviews, but shows at wp.org #12. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 HTML Forms – Simple WordPress Forms Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (57) wp.org #1 2 Insert Html Snippet 20K+ · 4.9★ (237) wp.org #2 3 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221) wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too low 4 Email Template Designer – WP HTML Mail 20K+ · 4.8★ (87) wp.org #6 ↓3 2 too low 5 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1916) wp.org #12 7 too low 6 Kwayy HTML Sitemap 6K+ · 4.7★ (18) wp.org #3 ↑1 3 too high 7 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #15 ↑2 7 too low 9 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #14 ↑1 5 too low 10 PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) wp.org #11 1 too low 11 WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617) wp.org #18 7 too low 12 Advanced Product Fields (Product Addons) for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.8★ (284) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress 60K+ · 3.9★ (72) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 301 Redirects – Redirect Manager 300K+ · 4.7★ (578) wp.org #21 ↑1 7 too low 15 Flexible Checkout Fields for WooCommerce – WooCommerce Checkout Manager 80K+ · 4.7★ (296) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 CSV to HTML 300+ · 5.0★ (22) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 Autoptimize 800K+ · 4.7★ (1428) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 UK Address Postcode Validation 700+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #7 ↑1 11 too high 19 HTML Social Share Buttons 50+ · 4.7★ (15) wp.org #23 ↓2 4 too low 20 ZeroBounce Email Verification & Validation 900+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓2 4 too high 21 Type Attribute Warnings Removal 900+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 WP ADA Compliance Check Basic 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 HTML Editor for Contact Form 7 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 HTML Validation 300+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #4 ↑1 20 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.