Matt Mullenweg to Deactivate WordPress Contributor Accounts

Automattic CEO Addresses Potential WordPress Fork

Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-creator of WordPress, has stated his intention to deactivate the accounts of several members within the WordPress.org community.

According to Mullenweg, at least two of these individuals were reportedly planning to initiate a new fork of the WordPress open-source project.

Escalating Tensions and Governance Concerns

Criticism regarding WordPress’s governance structure is not unprecedented. However, the current dispute originated in September when Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine.

WP Engine, a commercial hosting provider built on WordPress, was accused of prioritizing profit over contributions to the project.

The situation quickly intensified, culminating in a lawsuit filed by WP Engine after being denied access to essential WordPress resources.

Subsequently, a court order mandated WordPress to reinstate access for WP Engine.

Community Voices and Proposed Alternatives

Throughout this period, prominent figures within the WordPress ecosystem have voiced their perspectives.

Joost de Valk, the creator of the Yoast SEO tool and former marketing lead for the WordPress Foundation, recently published a “vision for a new WordPress era.”

His proposal included the possibility of “federated and independent repositories.”

Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite, a web consulting firm, expressed similar ideas in a separate blog post.

WP Engine has also signaled its willingness to provide corporate support for alternative solutions.

Mullenweg's Stance on a Potential Fork

Mullenweg has publicly expressed support for the concept of a new WordPress fork.

A fork involves taking the code from an open-source project and creating a separate, independent version with its own community.

Misunderstandings and Clarifications

In a recent blog post, Mullenweg sarcastically referred to the plans of de Valk and Marucchi as a “fork.”

However, neither individual had formally announced intentions to fork WordPress.

De Valk did discuss the creation of federated “mirrors” – copies of the repository – for themes and plugins, alongside other proposed changes.

“Mirrors of WordPress.org alone do not resolve the issue of a single entity controlling the update server,” de Valk stated in his post.

He further elaborated that these mirrors should federate, share data, and enable independent hosting of themes and plugins.

Statements from De Valk and Marucchi

In a statement to TechCrunch, de Valk clarified that they never intended to fork WordPress.

Marucchi conveyed the same message via X (formerly Twitter).

Furthermore, de Valk confirmed that his WordPress.org account remains active and that he has not received any communication from Mullenweg regarding deactivation.

A Potential Fork in WordPress Development

Automattic, earlier in the week, declared a reduction in its contributions to the core WordPress open-source project. This adjustment aligns with the contribution level of WP Engine, measured in weekly working hours. This announcement prompted Mattias de Valk to express, via X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, his willingness to spearhead the next WordPress release. Andrea Marucchi subsequently indicated his team’s readiness to support this effort.

De Valk and Marucchi collectively dedicate approximately 10 hours weekly to various facets of the WordPress open-source initiative. However, Matt Mullenweg stated that to provide their independent undertaking with the necessary impetus, he was suspending their WordPress.org accounts.

Mullenweg encouraged individuals interested in exploring alternative leadership structures or aligning with WP Engine to join their new venture. He articulated this sentiment in a written statement.

Simultaneously, Mullenweg announced the deactivation of three additional accounts, offering limited explanation: those belonging to Sé Reed, Heather Burns, and Morten Rand-Hendriksen. It is noteworthy that Reed currently serves as president and CEO of the WP Community Collective, a recently established nonprofit organization. This collective aims to function as a “neutral hub” for collaboration, contributions, and resources within the WordPress and broader open-source communities.

Burns, a previous contributor to the WordPress project, voiced her surprise regarding her account deactivation on X, noting her lack of involvement since 2020. Rand-Hendriksen, on Bluesky, posited that Mullenweg’s actions targeted him and Burns due to their past concerns regarding WordPress governance. He shared his perspective in a post.

Deactivating a WordPress.org account restricts a user’s ability to contribute through that specific channel, impacting both the core project and any plugins or themes they may be involved with. Nevertheless, the code remains accessible via GitHub, allowing anyone to fork the project if desired.

In a seemingly lighthearted suggestion, Mullenweg proposed “JKPress” as a potential name for any new fork. He also envisioned a combined “WordPress + JKPress summit” for the following year.

“Joost and Karim present a range of innovative and compelling concepts, and I am genuinely interested in observing their development,” Mullenweg added. “A key advantage of open source is the freedom to utilize the GPL code within WordPress and realize one’s vision. No authorization is required; action can be taken directly. Should they develop something exceptional, we might even integrate it back into WordPress. This free exchange of code and ideas is a driving force behind open-source innovation.”

This article has been updated to clarify that de Valk and Marucchi expressed interest in creating “mirrors” for the plugin and theme repositories, alongside offering leadership for the next WordPress release. It has been further updated to reflect that, as of the current time, de Valk’s WordPress.org account remains active.

The Implications of Account Deactivations

The recent announcement from Automattic regarding reduced contributions to the WordPress core project has instigated a series of events. This decision, aligned with WP Engine’s contribution metrics, prompted a response from key community members. Specifically, Mattias de Valk indicated a willingness to lead the next release of WordPress, a proposition supported by Andrea Marucchi and his team.

While de Valk and Marucchi collectively devote around 10 hours per week to WordPress development, Matt Mullenweg explained that suspending their WordPress.org accounts was necessary to empower their independent efforts. This action aims to provide the “boost” needed for their new initiative.

Mullenweg extended an invitation to those interested in alternative leadership models or collaboration with WP Engine to join their new undertaking. This statement underscores a potential shift in the project’s direction.

Alongside the account suspensions of de Valk and Marucchi, three other individuals – Sé Reed, Heather Burns, and Morten Rand-Hendriksen – also had their access revoked. The rationale behind these deactivations remains largely unexplained. It’s important to note that Reed leads the WP Community Collective, a new nonprofit designed to foster collaboration within the WordPress ecosystem.

Burns, a former WordPress contributor, expressed surprise at her account deactivation, given her absence from the project since 2020. Rand-Hendriksen, via Bluesky, suggested that the deactivations of himself and Burns may be linked to their previous criticisms of WordPress governance. His comments offer a potential interpretation of the events.

It’s crucial to understand that deactivating a WordPress.org account limits contribution capabilities through that platform. However, the project’s presence on GitHub ensures continued access to the codebase, allowing for independent forks and development.

Mullenweg playfully suggested the name “JKPress” for any potential fork, even proposing a joint summit between WordPress and JKPress in the future. This lighthearted remark acknowledges the possibility of a diverging path.

“Joost and Karim are presenting some truly innovative ideas, and I’m eager to see how they unfold,” Mullenweg stated. “The strength of open source lies in the ability to freely utilize the GPL code and pursue individual visions. No permission is needed; one can simply act. If they create something remarkable, we may even consider merging it back into WordPress, demonstrating the power of open-source collaboration and innovation.”

Please note that this article has been revised to accurately reflect that de Valk and Marucchi proposed creating “mirrors” for the plugin and theme repositories, in addition to offering to lead the next WordPress release. It has also been updated to confirm that de Valk’s WordPress.org account is currently still active.