The WordPress ecosystem—one of the most influential platforms powering more than 42% of websites—is going through a heated legal drama with WP Engine – the leading managed WordPress hosting provider.
All of this started with Automattic’s CEO and WordPress founder, Matt Mullenweg, who is clashing with WP Engine, a web hosting service known for powering WordPress-based sites.
Wp Engine vs WordPress Battle: How Did It All Start?
WordPress is a free, open-source platform, but companies like WP Engine provide premium hosting solutions for businesses looking for an easy way to manage WordPress-powered websites.
Mullenweg recently took issue with WP Engine for disabling post-revision tracking by default, claiming this feature is essential for maintaining users’ data integrity. He criticized WP Engine’s practice as a money-saving tactic and called the hosting provider a “cancer to WordPress.” That’s a pretty bold statement – issued by Automattic’s CEO.
Additionally, Mullenweg argued that WP Engine’s use of the “WP” brand has led to confusion, misleading people to believe it’s officially tied to WordPress. He even criticized WP Engine’s investors, including Silver Lake for not contributing enough to the WordPress Foundation’s open-source efforts.
WP Engine vs WordPress: How the Drama Evolved?
WP Engine swiftly responded by sending a cease-and-desist letter to Automattic, accusing Mullenweg of demanding a cut of WP Engine’s revenues in exchange for trademark licensing.
In retaliation, Mullenweg banned WP Engine from accessing resources on WordPress.org, preventing the company from updating themes and plugins for customers. However, this move drew significant backlash from the community as the disruption left several websites vulnerable, triggering security concerns.
On September 27, the ban was lifted temporarily, giving WP Engine access until October 1. To address the trademark complaints, WP Engine updated its site to clarify it is not affiliated with the WordPress Foundation, renamed its services, and emphasized its role as an independent member of the WordPress community.
How has the Open-Source Community Reacted?
The dispute has sparked broader concerns within the open-source community. Critics, including Ghost founder John O’Nolan and Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson, stated their concerns about one entity controlling such a massive share of the internet.
Meanwhile, WordPress.org’s trademark policy updates further fueled these concerns, with the foundation seeking trademarks for terms like “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress,” which could potentially limit competition.
The Escalation of the WordPress vs WP Engine Battle!
The situation escalated on October 3 when WP Engine filed a lawsuit in California, accusing Automattic of abusing its power and violating promises to uphold WordPress as a free, open-source platform. WP Engine claimed Mullenweg’s behavior exposed deep-rooted governance issues that jeopardized the open-source ecosystem.
WordPress controversy with the WP engine caused internal unrest within Automattic, leading 159 employees, including senior executives, to accept severance and leave the company. Josepha Haden Chomphosy, the executive director of WordPress.org, was among those who resigned.
On October 12, Automattic offered every remaining employee 200 A12 shares as a token of appreciation—shares that employees can sell after a year.
What’s Next for WordPress?
This legal battle has left the WordPress community seeking clearer guidelines around how they can use WordPress-related trademarks. Developers are increasingly concerned about their reliance on open-source products tied to Automattic, fearing that access to critical resources could be abruptly cut off.
While the full impact of this wordpress controversy is yet to be seen, this battle gives the reminder of how tricky it can be to balance open-source ideals with business goals.
Whether this battle will shape a more transparent future for WordPress or create new barriers for developers remains a question only time will answer.
What do you think about this WordPress vs WP engine battle and who do you think is written? Share your answers & let the conversion get started.
