wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “restful 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 “restful api”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

RESTful Content Syndication shows at wp.org #4 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 70+ 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

Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) places #6 on merit, 4.2★ from 420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

JSON API User 1K+ · 3.9★ (21) thin reviews wp.org #1 2

JSON API Auth 600+ · 4.7★ (11) thin reviews wp.org #2 3

Custom API for WP 1K+ · 4.8★ (45) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 4

WPO365 | SEAMLESS WORDPRESS + MICROSOFT INTEGRATION (WPO365 | LOGIN) 10K+ · 4.9★ (154) wp.org #8 4 too low 5

Salon Booking System – Appointment Booking for Salons, Barbershops & Spas 2K+ · 4.4★ (187) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #9 4 too low 6

Access Governance for WordPress (aka AAM) 100K+ · 4.2★ (420) wp.org #17 11 too low 7

Tainacan 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) heavy footprint thin reviews wp.org #7 8

Leaflet Maps Marker (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps) 9K+ · 4.6★ (244) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 11 too low 9

ACF Galerie 4 2K+ · 3.7★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #5 4 too high 10

ACF Photo Gallery Field 60K+ · 4.0★ (29) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #10 11

HIPAA Compliant Forms with Drag’n’Drop HIPAA Form Builder. Sign HIPAA documents 400+ · 5.0★ (7) thin reviews wp.org #13 2 too low 12

Porsline 300+ · 4.9★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #14 2 too low 13

imoje 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #6 7 too high 14

Transcoder 400+ · 3.6★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #18 4 too low 15

RESTful Content Syndication 70+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #4 11 too high 16

RESTful JSON API 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #12 4 too high 17

Payment gateway via Teya RPG for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews wp.org #20 3 too low 18

BrainCert Virtual Classroom 10+ · 3.7★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #21 3 too low 19

JSON API Cincopa 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #11 8 too high 20 B Bizuno RESTful API for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #15 5 too high 21 S Sodexo for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #16 5 too high 22 B Bizuno RESTful Sales Tax for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #22 23 L Lettr – Email API — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews wp.org #24 1 too low 24

BANKpay+ Instant Bank Payments for WooCommerce (EUR) 20+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 1 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.