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

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 “jokes”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

JokeShogun – Random Jokes in Admin Dashboard shows at wp.org #3 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 5 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

SQLite Object Cache places #4 on merit, 5.0★ from 51 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 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966) wp.org #1 2 Gallery PhotoBlocks 3K+ · 5.0★ (76) wp.org #9 7 too low 3 Admin Slug Column 5K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #8 5 too low 4 SQLite Object Cache 10K+ · 5.0★ (51) wp.org #12 8 too low 5 Floating Awesome Button (Sticky Button, Popup, Toast) & 200+ Website Custom Interactive Element 700+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 GroanDeck Dad Jokes — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Chat Icon 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #7 8 JokeShogun – Random Jokes in Admin Dashboard — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #3 5 too high 9 Nginx Cache Purge Preload 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 D Dad Jokes Generator — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 M Macro Tech Titan AI — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 idbbee 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 2 too high 13 Cornify for WordPress 10+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #19 6 too low 14 Worthless Plugin — · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 Oli Media Cleaner 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 Easy Dogecoin Gateway 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 2 too high 17 DadsFam Login Security 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 18 Q Quote of the Day by Aistore 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 2 too high 19 混 混んでェるさ-BizSignal — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 1 too high 20 Easy GigaWallet Dogecoin Gateway — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too low 21 edbbee 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 Trill AI Product Chat for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 23 DadsFam Live Chat — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 WP Pranks 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 ↓1

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.