[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #46763: Improve plugin search results with already active plugins

[WordPress Trac]

#46763: Improve plugin search results with already active plugins
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 Reporter:  joostdevalk  |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal       |   Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins      |     Version:
 Severity:  normal       |  Resolution:
 Keywords:               |     Focuses:  ui, administration
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Comment (by Ipstenu):

 I don't believe in artificial intelligence, and I don't know how to read
 minds. Because of that, I do see a need for improving search results to
 include what plugins you've already installed can POSSIBLY meet the needs
 of what you're looking for.

 > I see simple search examples like "backup" and "xml sitemaps", however
 what happens when the search query is "facebook". Does Jetpack get top
 billing because it has facebook share buttons built in? Does WP SEO get
 top billing because it provides for FB OG tags?

 If they're ''installed''... Yes. With a search like 'facebook' it's nigh
 impossible to divine if a user means "I need facebook embeds" (which yes,
 Jetpack does) or "I need Facebook OG tag editing" (there's Yoast).

 > The problem is top billing implicitly suggests that utilizing that
 plugin is a better solution than activating a new one which I find a FALSE
 PREMISE. I feel users are not well served by "one plugin that does 50
 things poorly" over "50 plugins that each do one thing exceptionally
 well". We shouldn't be encouraging massively bloated swiss army knife
 plugins.

 I don't know how you expect anyone to reply to that except with "I
 respectfully disagree." but that isn't the point at all.

 So let's throw out Jetpack for a second and think smaller.

 Let's say you have installed the Official Facerange plugin. It allows you
 to do all sorts of things, like custom video embeds, but also customize
 your OG data. You've only been using the embeds and go to find a plugin to
 help with the OG data. You search and, ping, the search says "Hey, this
 plugin you already have does this."

 Or what if you have a gallery plugin and want a slider add-on. If you
 don't know the plugin you have already includes a slider, you might
 install a new plugin before trying what you have.

 The ultimate solve here is NOT "let bigger monolithic plugins rank higher"
 but "highlight for people what the plugins they're ALREADY USING can do."

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/46763#comment:16>
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