[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 jb510):

 This is also not about allowing plugins to do anything. I want to solve
 this for all plugins, in core, and would prefer to remove the filters and
 hooks on this page after that.

 I totally agree here.  Plugins shouldn't be driving the show here, core
 should be.  Because core should represent what's best for users first.

    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."

 I agree here too.  Where I disagree with this is that "anything" that puts
 results _at the top_ of the page promotes those plugins over others.  That
 harms users more than it helps them.

 Take this out of plugins entirely for a moment. Imagine if Google search
 results displayed "sites you've visited before" above all other results
 when you searched.  Odds are you'd just keep revisiting those same sites.
 Not because they were better results to your query, but simple because
 they were at the top of the list and we all have learned the pattern of
 "click the first result".

 All of this benefits entrenched plugins to the determinant of less popular
 but possibly better solutions for the user.

 I totally respect the intent of "make sure users know an already installed
 plugin does the thing their searching for".

 I outlined that I think fulfilling that in a helpful way would be for
 search results for active plugins to be highlighted and customizable by
 plugins, but that they should remain in the order they appear in search.

 Core could standardize on a very visually distinct background color so
 they stand out boldly.  To go back to these mockups from
 @hedgefield https://sketch.cloud/s/wwDjA/GmgodAE I think the cards designs
 look fine, they could even be more district, I just don't want to see them
 at the top of the search results which isn't about Jetpack...  it's about
 all the plugins about to be buried under a dozen others that claim to
 provide that functionality.  Not even "may provide similar functionality".

 Picking winners and losers like that is a slippery slope best avoided.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/46763#comment:21>
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