I pitched this to Matt directly and have been given the go ahead to pave the way here. This post begins that process and documents the Featured Plugins experiment currently underway on WordPress.org. The goal is to surface newer plugins in the directory that meet a defined quality bar but have limited visibility. Eight plugins…

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WordPress.org is launching a Featured Plugins experiment to surface newer, quality plugins with limited visibility. Eight plugins are selected every two weeks from those with fewer than 10,000 active installs, listed for 12 months or less, no security vulnerabilities, compatible with the current WordPress release, and updated within the last 6 months. Selection is based on technical standards (coding standards, security practices), ecosystem fit (unique utility), and developer engagement. All eligible plugins are automatically considered — no submission needed. The experiment is tracked openly via the #featuredplugins Slack channel.

Announcing the Featured Plugins Experiment