wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “sourcecode highlighter”
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 highlighter”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 4 of the top 14. 6 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
WP SyntaxHighlighter shows at wp.org #9 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 300+ 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.
Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter 10K+ · 4.8★ (65)
wp.org #1 2 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved 20K+ · 4.3★ (86) stale but ranked
wp.org #4 2 too low 3 
Vaaky Highlighter — Syntax Highlighter, Code Blocks, Line Numbers for Gutenberg 10+ · 4.5★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 A Auto SyntaxHighlighter 100+ · 4.3★ (6) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #10 ↓1 6 too low 5 
iG:Syntax Hiliter 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
SEOMedic Simple Grammar Checker — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #5 1 too high 7 S Simple Fast Highlighter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too high 8 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved: VHDL Brush 20+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too high 9 W wp-syntax-highlighter 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved PHP5 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #13 ↓1 3 too low 11 S SyntaxHighlighter Evolved Biferno — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12 P POST2PDF Converter 100+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 W WP SyntaxHighlighter 300+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked
wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too high 14 S SyntaxHighlighter TinyMCE Button 100+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 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.