Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has announced a significant reduction in its contributions to the open-source WordPress project.
The decision revealed on Thursday, will see Automattic scaling back its weekly development hours from 3,988 to just 45 as part of the Five for the Future initiative, which encourages companies to allocate 5% of their resources to WordPress.org. The reduced efforts will primarily focus on critical updates and security issues.
The cutback comes amidst escalating tensions between Automattic CEO and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg and the broader WordPress community. Mullenweg’s public criticism of third-party hosting provider WP Engine—accusing it of being a “cancer” to the WordPress ecosystem—has drawn widespread attention and controversy. WP Engine, which contributes 40 hours per week to the WordPress project, sued Automattic last year over disputes regarding its ACF plugin and alleged anti-competitive behavior.
A judge recently ruled in favor of WP Engine, granting a preliminary injunction and stating that Mullenweg’s actions were intended to cause disruption. Automattic cites the legal battle as a major factor in its decision to reallocate resources, stating:
“This legal action diverts significant time and energy that could otherwise be directed toward supporting WordPress’s growth and health. We remain hopeful that WP Engine will reconsider this legal attack, allowing us to refocus our efforts on contributions that benefit the broader WordPress ecosystem.”
Beyond the legal disputes, the company has faced mounting criticism from members of the WordPress community, some of whom have called for Mullenweg and others to step away from their involvement in the open-source project. Adding to the tension, Automattic recently dissolved WordPress’s sustainability team, a move that sparked further backlash. In a leaked Slack message, Mullenweg described the team’s dissolution as necessary, stating:
“It’s probably a good time to officially dissolve the team entirely. It doesn’t seem like creating a team around this was able to further any of its goals.”
The reduction in contributions highlights broader concerns about the health and governance of the WordPress project. While Automattic has been one of the largest contributors to the ecosystem, the decision to scale back contributions signals a shift in priorities and underscores ongoing challenges within the community.
Critics, including prominent journalist Kara Swisher, have expressed concern over the impact of these changes on WordPress’s sustainability and growth. As legal disputes and internal disagreements continue, the future of WordPress’s open-source community remains uncertain.
