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WordPress Drama, November 13, 2024

WordPress Conflict: WP Engine and Matt Mullenweg

WP Engine, a hosting company, got into a conflict with Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress.

Who is Matt Mullenweg?
Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress, a free and open-source content management system (CMS). He created WordPress in 2003 with Mike Little, and it has since become one of the most popular CMS platforms in the world, powering over 40% of the web.

Matt's History with WordPress: Matt has been instrumental in shaping the WordPress ecosystem, having led the development of the platform for many years. He is also the founder of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, a hosted version of the WordPress platform.

Matt's Influence: As the de facto leader of the WordPress community, Matt has significant influence over the direction of the platform and is often seen as the face of WordPress.

Conflict Background: WP Engine, a hosting company, got into a conflict with Matt Mullenweg over their level of contribution to the WordPress community. Matt took issue with WP Engine, stating that they should contribute 5% of their engineering resources back to WordPress.

WP Engine's Response: WP Engine disagreed, citing that they do contribute to the community through other means, such as sponsorships and event organization.

Tensions Escalate: The situation escalated, with Matt accusing WP Engine of not being a good steward of the WordPress community. WP Engine retaliated, claiming they were being unfairly targeted.

Consequences: The situation led to WP Engine being banned from WordPress events and Matt's company, Automattic, stopping their partnership with WP Engine.

Impact on the WordPress Ecosystem: The conflict has caused a rift in the WordPress community, with some developers taking sides. This has led to concerns about the future of WordPress and its governance structure.

What Can Companies with WordPress Sites Do to Minimize Risks?

Companies with WordPress sites should be aware of the potential risks associated with the conflict:

Diversify Hosting Providers: Consider using multiple hosting providers to minimize dependency on a single vendor.

• Keep WordPress Core and Plugins Up-to-Date: Ensure that WordPress core and plugins are kept up-to-date to prevent security vulnerabilities.
• Monitor Community Developments: Stay informed about WordPress community developments and potential changes to the platform.
• Have a Contingency Plan: Have a plan in place in case WordPress or a hosting provider becomes unavailable or unstable.

Risks for Companies with WordPress Sites:

Potential Instability: The conflict could lead to instability in the WordPress ecosystem, affecting the performance and security of WordPress sites.

• Security Vulnerabilities: Delays in security patches or updates could leave WordPress sites vulnerable to attacks.
• Plugin and Theme Compatibility Issues: Changes to WordPress core or plugins could cause compatibility issues with existing plugins and themes.

By being aware of the potential risks and taking steps to minimize them, companies with WordPress sites can reduce their exposure to the conflict's impact.

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Aleyda Solis
International SEO Consultant & Founder @ Orainti