Certification Model
MarketHub certifications are the trust ladder for packages — from automatic community-level clearance through human-reviewed Certified status to the Official endorsement reserved for BizFirstGO-authored packages.
Three Certification Levels
| Level | Badge | Who Grants | Review Process | Search Priority | Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community | Community | Automated | Security scan + manifest completeness check | Standard | 0 |
| Certified | Certified | Admin review | Full human review: docs, tests, security, issues | High | 100 pts |
| Official | Official | BizFirstGO team | Internal process — reserved for first-party packages | Highest | N/A |
Community Certification
Community is the baseline certification all successfully submitted packages receive. It is granted automatically during the submission security scan — no human review involved.
Community Requirements
- Complete package manifest (name, description, category, version, publisher)
- Clean automated security scan (no known vulnerabilities in declared dependencies)
- At least one artifact in the package
- No content policy violations detected by automated filters
Community certification signals to users that the package has been through basic automated checks but has not been human-reviewed. Users should exercise their own judgment with Community packages from unknown publishers.
Certified Level
Certified is earned through a human review process. An admin reviewer evaluates the package against a defined criteria scorecard. Achieving Certified status earns the publisher 100 reputation points and unlocks higher search ranking.
Certified Criteria
| Criterion | Requirement | How Evidenced |
|---|---|---|
| Documentation | README with install guide, configuration reference, example usage | Publisher submits docs link with application |
| Test Coverage | 80%+ test coverage on node library components | Test report submitted with application |
| Security Scan | Clean scan — no critical or high vulnerabilities | Automated rescan on application submission |
| Issue History | No open critical issues older than 30 days | Checked against issue tracker at review time |
| Changelog | Complete changelog from initial version to current | Reviewed by admin in package version history |
Review timeline for Certified: 3–5 business days from application submission.
Official Certification
Official is the highest trust level and is reserved exclusively for BizFirstGO-authored packages and approved partner packages. It cannot be applied for through the normal process — it is granted by the BizFirstGO team as part of the partnership agreement.
The Official certification level requires a formal partnership agreement with BizFirstGO. Independent publishers and organizations can achieve Certified — the highest level available through the standard application process.
Certification Impact
Certification level affects three key areas of the marketplace experience:
Search Ranking
Official packages always outrank Certified, which always outrank Community at the same install count and rating.
Featured Eligibility
Featured placement on the homepage requires Certified or Official status. Community packages are not eligible for featured slots.
User Trust
The trust badge is the most visible element on package cards — directly influencing user decisions before they even open the detail page.