ManageWP Releases Plugin Discovery Tool ![rw-book-cover](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ManageWPPluginFeaturedImage.png) ## Metadata - Author: [[WP Tavern]] - Full Title: ManageWP Releases Plugin Discovery Tool - Category: #articles - Summary: The WordPress plugin directory has nearly 35k plugins and discovering new ones that have been tested and downloaded a few thousand times is difficult. Users can browse the directory for newest, recently updated, most popular, and highest rated plugins. - URL: https://wptavern.com/managewp-releases-plugin-discovery-tool The [WordPress plugin directory](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) has nearly 35k plugins and discovering new ones that have been tested and downloaded a few thousand times is difficult. Users can browse the directory for newest, recently updated, most popular, and highest rated plugins. With the exception of the [recently updated](https://wordpress.org/plugins/browse/updated/) category, there’s no way to discover plugins in the middle of the pack. A new [plugin discovery tool](https://managewp.org/plugins/best) by ManageWP, attempts to solve the problem. #### Algorithm Based [![Best New Plugins](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ManageWPBestNewPlugins.png)](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ManageWPBestNewPlugins.png)Best New Plugins Page The front page of [ManageWP.org/plugins](https://managewp.org/plugins/best) displays the best new plugins under 100k downloads. The plugins are determined using an algorithm that takes into account plugin quality and acceleration of growth. A plugin’s quality is determined using seven metrics: * Last Updated * WordPress Compatibility * Support * Rating * Plugin Popularity * Author Popularity * Other plugins from the same author Using a combination of metrics, ManageWP is able to display a constantly evolving list of [*rising stars*](https://managewp.org/plugins/rising). Placing emphasis on a plugin’s compatibility with WordPress and when it was last updated might motivate plugin authors to keep these fields updated. #### Comparing Plugins If you’re curious to see how plugins compare to each other, check out the [plugin comparison section](https://managewp.org/#comparePlugins) of the site. Simply choose two different plugins and hit the compare button. The comparison displays each plugin’s statistics with a download chart at the bottom. At the moment, you’re limited to comparing only two plugins at the same time, but there are plans to allow for more in the future. [![Plugin Comparisons](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ManageWPPluginComparison-500x269.png)](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ManageWPPluginComparison.png)Plugin Comparisons #### Plugin Awards Awards are a quick way to determine how well a plugin is doing in specific categories. For example, [WordPress SEO](https://managewp.org/plugins/details/wordpress-seo) by Team Yoast, has a number of awards for being the most downloaded and highest rated in multiple categories. I think it would be beneficial if this area was extended to highlight more ranks like top ten, top five, and number one. [![ManageWP Plugin Awards](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PluginAwards-500x466.png)](https://149611589.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/PluginAwards.png)ManageWP Plugin Awards #### Future Improvements ManageWP founder, Vladimir Prelovac, says he’s not finished with the site. In [the announcement](https://managewp.com/blog), he shares a couple of ideas on what he’d like to see in the next iteration. * Simpler plugin comparison, allow multiple plugins compared at once. * Allow plugin authors to ‘claim’ their pages. This will allow all sorts of activity like adding the links to their premium support, answering Q&A * Open everything via an API so everyone can use the engine and its data The WP Vulnerability Database will be a nice enhancement, especially if you can see how many vulnerability reports a plugin has. Something to keep in mind is that ManageWP/Plugins is utilizing the [WordPress.org Plugins API,](http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress.org_API) which limits the types of data it’s able to work with. #### A Plugin Directory Without The Plugins I love the idea behind [ManageWP/Plugins](https://managewp.org/plugins) because it fills a void created by the plugin directory. It’s essentially a sub-section of the directory without the plugins. When I look for plugins to review, the directory leaves me little choice between one that’s popular or brand new. ManageWP/Plugins gives me an opportunity to discover them before they reach global popularity. ##### Share this:, ManageWP Releases Plugin Discovery Tool, WP Tavern, 01gnmczrhshngzb9km7y8pbs0r.