The WordPress community has been thrown into turmoil over a public feud between Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, and WP Engine, a major WordPress hosting provider. The dispute, which started when Automattic CEO and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg called WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress”, has since escalated into legal battles, account bans, and a class-action lawsuit—raising concerns about the future of open-source WordPress.
How the Conflict Began
In September 2024, Mullenweg accused WP Engine of profiting from WordPress trademarks while contributing little to the open-source ecosystem. As a result, WP Engine was banned from WordPress.org’s servers, and Automattic sent a cease-and-desist order demanding the company stop using WordPress trademarks.
WP Engine fired back with a lawsuit, accusing Automattic and Mullenweg of extortion. The company alleged that Automattic had initially demanded 8% of its revenue in exchange for the right to use the WordPress trademark, before launching a public attack when WP Engine refused.
Legal Battles and Community Fallout
- WP Engine Wins a Preliminary Injunction (December 2024): A California judge ruled that Automattic must stop blocking WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources.
- Mullenweg Cuts WordPress Contributions (January 2025): In response, Automattic slashed its development hours for WordPress from 3,988 to just 45 per week, blaming WP Engine and other companies for not contributing enough.
- WordPress Fork in the Works (January 2025): Prominent WordPress contributors, including Joost de Valk and Karim Marucchi, announced plans to fork WordPress, prompting Mullenweg to deactivate their WordPress.org accounts.
- New Class Action Lawsuit Against Automattic (February 2025): A WP Engine customer filed a proposed class-action lawsuit, arguing that Automattic has a duty to keep WordPress “free for everyone” and accusing Mullenweg of interfering with WP Engine’s business.
The Bigger Picture: Open Source vs. Corporate Control
This high-stakes battle exposes a critical issue: who controls WordPress? While Automattic insists it’s protecting the WordPress ecosystem, critics argue that Mullenweg is blurring the lines between WordPress.com (a paid service) and WordPress.org (an open-source project)—leading to fears that WordPress may become more corporate-driven.
For now, the legal battles rage on, and the future of WordPress governance, open-source integrity, and third-party hosting services remains uncertain.
