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

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 “microformats”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 2 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

MF2 Feeds shows at wp.org #9 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 40+ 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.

U

Buried gem

Ultimate Posts Widget places #8 on merit, 4.5★ from 55 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 W WP Customer Reviews 20K+ · 4.3★ (526) wp.org #1 2 Starbox – the Author Box for Humans 10K+ · 4.5★ (203) wp.org #7 5 too low 3 Leaflet Maps Marker (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps) 9K+ · 4.6★ (245) wp.org #10 7 too low 4 Micropub 200+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 ShieldClimb – Remove Hentry and Hatom 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Seed Buddhist Year 3K+ · 4.9★ (11) wp.org #8 2 too low 7 Game Review Block 90+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 U Ultimate Posts Widget 10K+ · 4.5★ (55) wp.org #19 11 too low 9 FV Simpler SEO 2K+ · 4.6★ (12) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 I IndieBlocks 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 4 too high 11 Webmention 900+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 IndieWeb 600+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 oik 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 Diverse Solutions IDX Real Estate Listings & MLS Search 1K+ · 3.2★ (66) wp.org #22 8 too low 15 A Author Product Review 50+ · 4.8★ (9) wp.org #20 5 too low 16 Simple Location 300+ · 4.6★ (8) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 Post Kinds 100+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #23 6 too low 18 MF2 Feeds 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 9 too high 19 OpenWeb Icons — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 Buff Chat UI for Contact Form 7 — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Post Kinds for IndieWeb in Block Themes — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Yarns Microsub Server 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 kobak social: share posts to Mastodon and Bluesky — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Romence — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.