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

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 “sourcecode”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 4 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

iG:Syntax Hiliter shows at wp.org #4 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 30+ 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 Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter 10K+ · 4.8★ (65) wp.org #1 2 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved 20K+ · 4.3★ (86) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Pastacode 400+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 G Gettext override translations 2K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Bitcoin and Altcoin Wallets 50+ · 4.8★ (27) wp.org #15 10 too low 6 Starfish Review Generation & Marketing for WordPress 200+ · 4.6★ (25) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 Google Analytics Opt-Out 5K+ · 4.5★ (16) wp.org #16 9 too low 8 Vaaky Highlighter — Syntax Highlighter, Code Blocks, Line Numbers for Gutenberg 10+ · 4.5★ (2) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 S Shortcode Reference 100+ · 3.4★ (7) wp.org #10 1 too low 10 iG:Syntax Hiliter 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 6 too high 11 Light Code Block — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 UrVenue Web Services — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 4 too high 13 Image Block for Pollinations.ai — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Drive Wp — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 3 too high 15 SyntaxHighlighter Amplified — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Pandora FMS WP – Monitoring WordPress from Pandora FMS 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 3 too high 17 Application Banner (Google PlayStore / AppleStore) 30+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #17 18 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved: @Formula Brush — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 19 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved: LotusScript Brush — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 20 Code View 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 21 O Orbisius Snippets — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 22 JSL Exit Intent Popup — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24 2 too low 23 S Simple Fast Highlighter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 24 S SyntaxHighlighter Plus 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 2 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.