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← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “json api”

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 “json api”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 4 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

JSON API Cincopa shows at wp.org #14 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 10+ 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

LiteSpeed Cache places #11 on merit, 4.8★ from 2778 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 JSON API Auth 600+ · 4.7★ (11) wp.org #1 2 Get Use APIs – JSON Content Importer 5K+ · 4.9★ (78) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 JSON API User 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Disable WP REST API 30K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #4 5 WPGet API – Connect to any external REST API 10K+ · 5.0★ (32) wp.org #5 6 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #15 9 too low 7 JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 10K+ · 4.4★ (74) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #17 ↓1 9 too low 9 Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 JWT Authentication for WP REST API 60K+ · 4.4★ (53) wp.org #9 ↓2 1 too high 11 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #24 ↓5 13 too low 12 Disable XML-RPC-API 100K+ · 4.2★ (43) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 R REST API Log 5K+ · 3.6★ (24) wp.org #7 ↑2 6 too high 14 WP API SwaggerUI 2K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #10 ↑1 4 too high 15 Custom API for WP 1K+ · 4.8★ (45) wp.org #13 2 too high 16 CoCart – Headless REST API for WooCommerce 900+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17 MStore API – Create Native Android & iOS Apps On The Cloud 2K+ · 3.7★ (21) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too low 18 C Contact Form 7 to API 1K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 SMNTCS Disable REST API User Endpoints 8K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 WPSSO REST API 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 REST API Guard 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 JSON API Cincopa 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 8 too high 23 getLaw WP API Client 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too high 24 API Press – External API data, Connect API, Import API 40+ · 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.