WordPress is one of the longest-running and most respected open source projects in history. Initially, it allowed users to create blogs. However, it’s since proven to be suitable for several types of websites, including online stores, forums, ambitious media outlets, galleries, and newsletters. For years, the platform thrived, and its developers and community enjoyed significant success. However, this is no longer the case.
A sudden controversy. WordPress, once admired by all, is now embroiled in a reputational and legal battle involving co-founder Matt Mullenweg and his company Automattic. This situation has sparked what could be described as a civil war within the open source community.
The start of the conflict. It all began in September 2024, when Mullenweg criticized WP Engine, a well-known company that provides services for WordPress users. He specifically blamed WP Engine for not contributing enough to the project’s code.
A heated exchange. What started as a battle of words between Mullenweg and WP Engine management quickly escalated into a serious conflict with significant collateral effects. Mullenweg even temporarily expelled WP Engine from the network associated with the non-profit WordPress project, which oversees open source code development. Although he later backtracked on this decision, it proved irrelevant when WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic in October, supported by Silver Lake, a major investment firm.
Was this an overreaction? Mullenweg’s actions caused discontent within the Automattic team, resulting in redundancies. The company also offered severance packages to employees who felt Automattic had mismanaged the situation. More bizarre developments included a surprising extra checkbox in the WordPress login form, where users had to confirm that “Pineapple is delicious on pizza.”
The situation is escalating even further. Things seemed to have calmed down, but Automattic recently announced a reduction in support for the WordPress.org project. The company claims to be a victim of WP Engine and contends that the ongoing lawsuit is consuming more of its time and resources than it can allocate to improving WordPress’s code and quality.
The community is divided. According to Search Engine Journal, Automattic’s way of communicating its actions hasn’t helped to ease tensions. The company has pointed to the WordPress community and its attitude as a contributing factor to the situation. In fact, many community members have criticized Automattic’s decisions rather than supporting them.
In a recent Automattic’s statement, the word “community” was intentionally placed in quotation marks. “We’ve also faced intense criticism and even personal attacks against a number of Automatticians from members of the ‘community’ who want Matt and others to step away from the project,” the company said.
Accounts deactivated. In an announcement on Saturday, Mullenweg explained that he had suspended the WordPress.org accounts of several key contributors, including Joost de Valk and Karim Maurcchi, who both had intentions of advancing WordPress. There was some confusion regarding their supposed plans to create a fork or spin-off version of the project, but de Valk denied this in his response to Mullenweg’s actions.
Despite this, Mullenweg hasn’t reactivated their accounts but has instead encouraged de Valk and Maurcchi to lead a project using the version of WordPress they were allegedly considering.
Mullenweg: hero or villain? Based on his merits, Mullenweg was named the Xataka Legend 2023. However, recent decisions are shifting perceptions of his management style. For instance, the WordPress co-founder responded to an article published in Inc. in December titled “Is Matt Mullenweg the Mad King of WordPress?” He expressed disappointment with its tone, the way he was quoted, and even the choice of photos that accompanied it. According to him, the images presented him in a somewhat gloomy light.
Undeniable mistakes. The reality is that Mullenweg and the team at Automattic seem to be struggling to manage the situation. They appear to be positioning themselves as victims even as hostilities have escalated due to their recent actions. It’s challenging to predict how this situation will evolve, but it’s clear that this is one of the most significant crises in the open source community. Its foundational philosophy is now under threat.
Image | Lavi Perchik
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