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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “phpinfo()”

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 “phpinfo()”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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

BugTrace – Debug Log Tool shows at wp.org #10 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 50+ 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 phpinfo() WP – Site Health, PHP Compatibility & Server Audit 3K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #1 2 WP-ServerInfo 10K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #2 3 M MimeTypes Link Icons 8K+ · 5.0★ (26) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Server Info – System Health & Diagnostics Suite 3K+ · 3.8★ (12) wp.org #4 5 Version Info – Server Health Monitor, PHP & MySQL Version Display, Environment Indicators 10K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 atec System Info 200+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 System Dashboard 900+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #8 1 too low 8 DebugPress: Debugger in Popup 100+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 PlatformInfo 70+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Issues Tracker 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 11 too low 11 W WPMU Ldap Authentication 50+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #11 12 Mimi Captcha 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 2 too low 13 Web Server Information 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 14 Simple PHP Info 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 1 too low 15 All in One Content Protector & Security 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Fstyle Honeypot Bot Blocker 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 BugTrace – Debug Log Tool 50+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Steel Security & Hardening – Site Audit Tools 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Debug Switch — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Advanced Pixel Editor 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 2 too low 21 AVAR Server Monitor 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 2 too low 22 HealthBeam – Advanced WordPress Diagnostics, Monitoring & Site Health Tools — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 一介資男(Mxp.TW) 開發工具箱 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 4 too high 24 Aipatch Security Scanner 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 6 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.