[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #63680: Buggy - Add Plugin > Keyword Search - Finding Plugins in the official WP Plugin Repository

[WordPress Trac]

#63680: Buggy - Add Plugin > Keyword Search - Finding Plugins in the official WP
Plugin Repository
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 Reporter:  terminij      |      Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)  |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal        |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Plugins       |    Version:  6.8
 Severity:  normal        |   Keywords:  needs-patch needs-testing
  Focuses:                |
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 When using the standard keyword Search input to search for plugins to
 install via wp-admin > plugins > add plugin:

 1. The results are inconsistent from day to day.
 2. It's impossible to reproduce consistently.

 Have tried multiple testing sessions across:
 1. Multiple Fresh Installs (Latest Version with ZERO PLUGINS)
 2. Multiple Hosting Providers
 3. Multiple Server Intallations on different Hosting providers/platforms
 4. Multiple page refreshes and cache clearing
 5. Different blocks of days and times

 It is Important to Note:
 1. Searching for the SAME EXACT PLUGIN (verified as existing in the
 official WordPress repository) by the SAME EXACT (tried multiple
 variations) keywords across multiple Fresh installs on various
 hosts/servers (see 'have tried' above) -EITHER-
 - FINDS and DISPLAYS the officially existing plugin
 - DOESN'T Find or Display the officially existing plugin
  - - CONSISTENTLY - in that during the SAME SESSION/DAY the search result
 will always be the same, either finding and displaying it or not finding
 and displaying it, but never mixed results during a short testing
 period/block of time, and
 - - - - the search results are ALWAYS THE SAME for every distinct
 install/host/server (finding or NOT FINDING ACROSS ALL) when ALL distinct
 installs/hosts/servers are tested during the same testing day/session (ie.
 if one search doesn't find or display the searched plugin on one
 install/server/host, it also won't find it on any of the others when
 tested at the same time!!)
 - - - - But WILL find and display it when searched on a completely
 different day/session (like 2 days prior for example, or 2 days in the
 future, on that SAME PREVIOUSLY TESTED INSTALL where the bug previously
 occurred or didn't occur yet)
  - - SOMETIMES - you can get it to display by searching the EXACT
 'Developer Name', that the above consistency remains with this search as
 well, sometimes finding it, sometimes not finding it.
 - - - - When searching by plugin author and that plugin developer has more
 than one plugin in the repo, it is important to note that it is not
 showing ZERO plugins, but rather many plugins by that author/developer BUT
 NOT THE SEARCHED FOR ONE!!!

 This issue has been driving me ABSOLUTELY NUTS, because while it may seem
 easy to just simply download and manually install, when you're constantly
 working on multiple projects, different environments, or have a lot of
 plugins that quickly need to be installed on a fresh install, this can
 quickly add up to a TRAMENDOUS amount of time and work!!!

 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEBODY LOOK INTO THIS!!!
 Current version: 6.8.1
 Last checked on July 10, 2025 at 2:09 am GMT+0000.

 PS. The only reason I am not providing screenshots to show the different
 installs is to keep my domains privacy and there is no way to show this
 without showing my domains. Also there is no way to really show different
 server/host environments in screenshots to show this issue in this way...

 Thank you.

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Ticket URL: <https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/63680>
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