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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “jwt authentication”

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 “jwt authentication”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 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

CoCart JWT Authentication shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 200+ 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

OAuth Single Sign On – SSO (OAuth Client) places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 327 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 JWT Authentication for WP REST API 60K+ · 4.4★ (53) wp.org #1 2 JWT Authentication for WP REST APIs 10K+ · 4.4★ (74) wp.org #2 3 Simple JWT Login – Allows you to use JWT on REST endpoints. 4K+ · 5.0★ (47) wp.org #3 4 Firebase Authentication 400+ · 4.0★ (20) wp.org #4 5 Contact Form Clean and Simple 7K+ · 4.7★ (195) wp.org #13 ↑2 8 too low 6 SAML IDP (Identity Provider) – Login with Website Users 600+ · 4.8★ (62) wp.org #10 ↑3 4 too low 7 WP OAuth Server (OAuth Authentication) 3K+ · 3.8★ (41) wp.org #7 8 OAuth Single Sign On – SSO (OAuth Client) 6K+ · 4.9★ (327) wp.org #24 16 too low 9 WP OAuth Server ( Login with WordPress ) 1K+ · 4.9★ (41) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too low 10 Contact Form to Any API 8K+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 WP Login and Register using JWT 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 CoCart – Headless REST API for WooCommerce 900+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #12 ↑2 13 Authorizer 6K+ · 5.0★ (20) wp.org #22 ↓1 9 too low 14 JSON API Auth 600+ · 4.7★ (11) wp.org #15 ↓5 1 too low 15 JSON API User 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) wp.org #18 ↑1 3 too low 16 Login Me Now – Passwordless, Magic Link, OTP & Social Login for WordPress 600+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #23 7 too low 17 A API Bearer Auth 300+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #21 ↑1 4 too low 18 REST API Guard 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 10 too high 19 CoCart JWT Authentication 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #5 14 too high 20 WPRaiz Content API Tool 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↑1 3 too high 21 Simple JWT Auth – JWT Authentication for WP REST API — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 10 too high 22 MyWorks Sync for WooCommerce & Xero 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 ↑3 2 too high 23 AH JWT Auth 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too high 24 Simple REST API Authenticaton with WooCommerce Credentials 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 8 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.