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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sortable column”

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 “sortable column”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Manage User Columns shows at wp.org #6 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.2★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Post Views Counter places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 1237 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 Admin Slug Column 5K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 Users Registration Date – Sortable Users Column 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Admin and Site Enhancements (ASE) 200K+ · 5.0★ (423) wp.org #7 4 too low 4 When Last Login 40K+ · 4.7★ (37) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5 Add Featured Image Column 3K+ · 4.9★ (13) wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1237) wp.org #19 ↑5 13 too low 7 Reveal IDs 40K+ · 5.0★ (61) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 wpDataTables – WordPress Data Table, Dynamic Tables & Table Charts Plugin 60K+ · 4.5★ (449) wp.org #16 8 too low 9 Sortable Word Count Reloaded 2K+ · 3.7★ (10) wp.org #3 6 too high 10 Media Library Assistant 70K+ · 4.8★ (202) wp.org #18 ↑1 8 too low 11 WP-PostRatings 20K+ · 4.4★ (178) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 Data Tables Generator by Supsystic – Excel-like, WooCommerce & Pricing Tables 10K+ · 4.7★ (497) wp.org #24 ↓1 12 too low 13 Admin Columns for ACF Fields 9K+ · 4.9★ (20) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Show modified Date in admin lists 6K+ · 4.9★ (32) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 WP Last Login 10K+ · 3.8★ (26) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162) wp.org #21 ↓1 5 too low 17 WPC Admin Columns 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #10 7 too high 18 Manage User Columns 1K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #6 12 too high 19 Document Library Lite 4K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too low 20 Entryway – WP Login & Logout Redirect 6K+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #22 ↓1 2 too low 21 Sortable Dashboard To-Do List 80+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 Last Users Order Column for WooCommerce 80+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Slugmatic – Sortable Slug Columns for Any Post Type 20+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #23 ↓1 24 Slug Search and Admin Columns 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 10 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.