Matt Mullenweg vs. WP Engine: The Battle Between Open-Source and Commercial Interests in WordPress

Matt Mullenweg vs. WP Engine

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The relationship between Matt Mullenweg (co-founder of WordPress) and WP Engine (a managed WordPress hosting provider) has been somewhat complex over the years, shaped by different priorities in the WordPress ecosystem: open-source development versus commercial business ventures. There have been some public statements, issues, and concerns raised about the direction of WordPress and how companies like WP Engine fit into that ecosystem. Below is a detailed overview of significant issues and cases involving Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine.

1. Matt Mullenweg vs. WP Engine: The Commercialization Debate (2010s)

  • Date: Ongoing since the early 2010s
  • Issue: Open-source vs. Commercialization of WordPress Ecosystem
  • Details:
    Matt Mullenweg, as the driving force behind WordPress and its open-source philosophy, has expressed concerns about the growing commercialization of WordPress. While WordPress is open-source, a thriving commercial ecosystem has grown around it, including businesses like WP Engine that monetize services like managed hosting, themes, and plugins. Key Points of Tension:
  • Commercialism vs. Open-Source Integrity: Matt has been vocal about concerns that too much commercial influence might steer WordPress in directions that prioritize profits over the needs of the global community. His focus has been on ensuring that WordPress remains open and community-driven, which sometimes puts him at odds with the increasing number of commercial entities leveraging WordPress for profit.
  • WP Engine’s Business Model: WP Engine, as one of the largest players in managed WordPress hosting, relies on a business model that is inherently tied to WordPress. While Matt has supported commercial ventures in the ecosystem, he’s also suggested that businesses should ensure their activities align with WordPress’s open-source nature.
  • Date: 2017
  • Issue: GPL Licensing Disputes (Theme and Plugin Licensing)
  • Details:
    In 2017, Automattic (Matt Mullenweg’s company) and WP Engine were involved in a broader dispute concerning WordPress’s GPL (General Public License) and its implications on theme and plugin licensing. Key Points of Conflict:
  • The GPL and WordPress Themes: The WordPress GPL license mandates that all themes and plugins that interact with WordPress must be released under the GPL or a compatible license. WP Engine was involved in a dispute over whether certain theme or plugin offerings from third parties could be considered as violating the GPL, especially when companies would sell premium themes and plugins but restrict their use by customers.
  • Themes and Plugin Restrictions: WP Engine, like many businesses in the WordPress ecosystem, had premium theme and plugin offerings (including its acquisition of StudioPress, which created the Genesis Framework). Matt Mullenweg publicly emphasized that these offerings must adhere to the GPL, which allows users to redistribute and modify the code freely. WP Engine had to adjust some of its practices around licensing to align more fully with the GPL.
  • The “GPL Controversy”: While WP Engine has adhered to the general principles of GPL in its hosting model, the controversy raised by Mullenweg and Automattic was rooted in the broader question of how the commercial WordPress ecosystem should operate within the constraints of GPL, which mandates that any derivative works of WordPress must also be GPL-licensed.

3. Matt Mullenweg Criticizing WP Engine’s Marketing (2018)

  • Date: 2018
  • Issue: WP Engine’s Marketing Tactics
  • Details:
    In 2018, Matt Mullenweg publicly criticized some of the marketing tactics used by WP Engine. In a blog post and social media interactions, Matt pointed out that WP Engine’s marketing language sometimes gave the impression that the platform was “better” than WordPress.org or the open-source community, which he felt undermined the philosophy of WordPress as an open, accessible platform. Key Points:
  • “Better” Than WordPress: Matt objected to marketing claims that implied WP Engine’s services were “better” than WordPress itself, suggesting that such language could mislead users into thinking that WordPress.com (or the broader WordPress ecosystem) was inferior without premium hosting. This was particularly important for Matt, who saw WordPress’s core value as its openness and accessibility, regardless of a user’s technical expertise.
  • Concerns about Community Messaging: Mullenweg expressed concerns that this type of marketing could push new users toward paying for premium services like WP Engine without fully understanding the flexibility and freedom available within the WordPress.org ecosystem. He was worried about the message it sent to users who could easily access free themes, plugins, and hosting via WordPress.org.

4. WP Engine’s Acquisition of Flywheel and Matt’s Reaction (2019)

  • Date: 2019
  • Issue: Acquisition of Flywheel
  • Details:
    In 2019, WP Engine acquired Flywheel, a managed hosting company known for targeting designers and smaller agencies. This acquisition expanded WP Engine’s reach and solidified its position as a major commercial entity within the WordPress ecosystem. Matt’s Perspective:
  • Matt Mullenweg publicly acknowledged the acquisition of Flywheel, but his main point of focus was on the implications for the broader WordPress ecosystem. While he generally supported business growth in the ecosystem, he also warned against too much consolidation in the market. Matt encouraged companies to maintain open ecosystems where users have freedom of choice, but he also recognized that WP Engine was simply responding to a market demand for specialized managed hosting services.
  • The Flywheel acquisition was seen as a move by WP Engine to build on a market segment (web designers and agencies) that could help the company expand its offerings. For Matt, it illustrated the growing influence of commercial companies like WP Engine in the WordPress space, which he both supported and cautioned against in terms of the balance of power.

5. WP Engine’s Role in WordPress Community and Matt’s Calls for “WordPress First” (2020–2021)

  • Date: 2020-2021
  • Issue: Emphasis on Open-Source Values vs. Commercialization
  • Details:
    Matt Mullenweg continued to advocate for the values of WordPress, emphasizing the need to keep WordPress “WordPress-first,” especially in the face of increasing commercialization by companies like WP Engine. Matt’s Call for “WordPress First”:
  • Matt regularly advocated for the idea that businesses in the WordPress ecosystem should prioritize the long-term interests of the WordPress project over short-term commercial interests. This included making sure that businesses, including hosting providers like WP Engine, respect the open-source nature of WordPress and work to contribute to its community, rather than simply using it to profit. WP Engine’s Response:
  • WP Engine, as a major commercial player, continued to focus on providing premium hosting and developer tools. The company made efforts to integrate more deeply with the WordPress community and contribute to the ecosystem by investing in open-source projects (e.g., through funding WordCamp sponsorships and supporting contributors). However, tensions remained over how businesses like WP Engine could balance profit motives with contributions to the open-source ethos of WordPress.

6. Automattic’s Acquisition of Tumblr and the WordPress Ecosystem (2018)

  • Date: 2018
  • Issue: Acquisition of Tumblr by Automattic
  • Details:
    Although not directly related to WP Engine, Automattic’s acquisition of Tumblr (a major blogging platform) was a significant moment in the evolution of WordPress. It demonstrated the growing ambitions of Automattic and Matt Mullenweg to expand the WordPress ecosystem beyond traditional blogging into other forms of digital publishing. Matt’s Long-Term Vision vs. Commercial Entities Like WP Engine:
  • As Automattic worked on expanding its portfolio, Matt emphasized a vision where WordPress could power a wide range of web experiences. However, companies like WP Engine, with a more focused offering on managed WordPress hosting, sometimes found themselves at odds with Matt’s broader, more open goals for the ecosystem.

Conclusion:

The primary issues between Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine revolve around the tension between open-source principles and the commercial interests of businesses profiting from WordPress. While Matt has always advocated for WordPress’s open-source nature and its community-driven ethos, companies like WP Engine have focused on building profitable, premium offerings within the WordPress ecosystem. This has led to occasional conflicts over licensing, marketing practices, and the role of commercial interests in an open-source project.

Despite these tensions, both Matt Mullenweg and WP Engine have continued to contribute to the WordPress ecosystem in different ways, with WP Engine growing as a major player in WordPress hosting and Matt championing the ideals of open-source software through Automattic.

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