WordPress Drama Defined (and The way it Could Have an effect on Your Web site)

It’s bizarre to obtain texts like “is that this WordPress drama loopy or is it being blown out of proportion”.

Within the 15 years of operating WPBeginner, I by no means thought I must write a weblog submit overlaying any WordPress trade drama. My focus with the weblog has at all times been to offer prime quality free WordPress tutorials for non-techy newbie customers and small enterprise house owners.

However sadly, we’re at some extent the place quite a lot of misinformation and concern is being unfold about WordPress by media retailers and influencers who’re hungry for clicks.

That is inflicting panic amongst some web site house owners, businesses, in addition to individuals in enterprise corporations. Some people are asking questions like whether or not WordPress continues to be secure and will they seek for an different CMS possibility for his or her web sites.

On this submit, I wish to clarify what this newest WordPress drama is about, who it impacts, and what you are able to do to guard your web sites. 

TLDR: No, that is NOT the tip of WordPress, and your web sites are secure.

With that out of the way in which, let’s bounce proper into what’s occurring round this WordPress drama involving WP Engine vs. Automattic.

What’s This WordPress Drama All About? (Brief Abstract)

Fast Abstract: There’s a lawsuit between two WordPress corporations (WP Engine and Automattic) round a trademark dispute. As a result of their affect, there have been escalations which has led to quite a lot of detrimental PR for the WordPress ecosystem. Overwhelming majority of WordPress websites are NOT impacted by this in any respect.

This complete factor began as a result of two massive corporations within the WordPress trade are in a authorized battle over a trademark dispute.

Automattic is an organization began by WordPress co-founder, Matt Mullenweg. They’re the creators of WooCommerce, WordPress.com internet hosting service, Jetpack plugin, and extra.

WP Engine is a managed WordPress internet hosting firm owned by a big personal fairness agency Silver Lake.

Automattic has the unique industrial rights to make use of the “WordPress” trademark. They requested WP Engine to barter a licensing settlement which concerned both funds to Automattic OR elevated contributions to the free open supply WordPress undertaking.

As a result of the events failed to return to an settlement, Matt publicized the dispute on the annual WordCamp US convention the place he claimed that WP Engine regardless of being a $400M+ income firm doesn’t give again sufficient to the free open supply WordPress undertaking.

As issues escalated, each corporations despatched one another a proper authorized Stop and Desist (C&D) letter. Because of the authorized threats, Matt as co-founder of WordPress, banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org servers.

This meant that any buyer with web sites on WP Engine internet hosting had been not in a position to obtain updates from WordPress.org servers.

The ban was later reverted briefly to guard customers and permit WP Engine to construct their very own replace servers. Since WordPress is open supply, the WP Engine workforce was in a position to construct their very own updater to make sure customers on their internet hosting platform can get software program updates.

The server block formally went again into impact on October 1st. Shortly after, WP Engine filed a federal lawsuit towards Automattic and Matt Mullenweg.

Because of the escalation, WP Engine’s workforce had been banned from accessing their WordPress.org accounts. This implies the WP Engine workforce is not in a position to launch updates to their WordPress plugins from the official WordPress.org servers.

One of many plugins owned by WP Engine is Superior Customized Fields (ACF) which is fashionable amongst builders and utilized by over 2 million web sites. To make sure safety updates can be found to all customers, WordPress.org workforce forked the ACF plugin, renamed it to Safe Customized Fields (SCF), and took over the unique ACF plugin listing web page with out the consent of WP Engine. The explanations given for this was to keep up and supply updates to customers who’re unaware of the drama. 

This determination was not properly obtained and garnered quite a lot of detrimental feedback from builders, influencers, and press retailers.

On the time of penning this submit, all different WP Engine plugins are nonetheless obtainable for obtain on WordPress.org plugin listing nonetheless WP Engine workforce continues to be banned, so they aren’t ready to make use of WordPress.org servers to difficulty updates.

In abstract, on the root of this WordPress drama is a heated authorized trademark dispute between WP Engine internet hosting firm, Automattic, and Matt Mullenweg (co-founder of WordPress). 

Since there’s a federal lawsuit filed by WP Engine towards Automattic, I consider solely the courts can determine the end result until the events come to an amicable decision outdoors of courts. The official WordPress twitter account tweeted that the state of affairs could be resolved beneath the next circumstances:

Is that this the Finish of WordPress?

The reply is NO. Completely not.

WordPress powers over 43% of internet sites on the web, and it’s greater than anyone individual or firm. The overwhelming majority of small enterprise house owners and customers of WordPress don’t even find out about this ongoing drama as a result of it merely doesn’t impression them.

I talked with an area small enterprise proprietor who’s my private coach, and he wasn’t conscious of the detrimental press round WordPress in any respect. Once I briefly informed him about it, here’s what he mentioned:

“I’m not going to modify from WordPress as a result of some massive corporations are having a trademark dispute. What issues to me is that my web site is working and my enterprise is rising.” – Sean Nelson, Founding father of Hustle Coaching 360.

The fact is that the WordPress software program you constructed your web site with hasn’t modified.

In case you’re utilizing fashionable plugins like Elementor, WPForms, WooCommerce, AIOSEO, Duplicator and actually 60,000+ others, they’re nonetheless the identical.

One thing as massive as WordPress merely doesn’t finish as a result of two corporations have a trademark dispute. 

Within the grand scheme of issues, there are a small portion of customers who’re impacted, and I’ll share how you could find out in case your web site is impacted, and what you are able to do about it.  

Is My Web site Affected by All of This?

The overwhelming majority of customers and web sites utilizing WordPress are NOT impacted by this authorized dispute between Automattic and WP Engine.

In case you are utilizing a free plugin that was developed by WP Engine, and you might be NOT on their internet hosting platform, then your web sites are impacted since you will be unable to obtain updates for these free plugins from WordPress.org.

Listed below are the favored free plugins constructed by WP Engine which can be blocked from sending updates from WordPress.org servers:

Superior Customized Fields

Nitropack

Higher Search Exchange

WP Migrate Lite

WP Offload SES Lite

Frost

Genesis Blocks

Genesis Customized Blocks

For the complete checklist, see plugins constructed by WP Engine.

What Can You Do to Shield Your WordPress Web site?

As I mentioned earlier, if you happen to’re not utilizing the plugins made by WP Engine, then you definately don’t have to do something.

Your WordPress web site is secure and good to go. 

Though, I at all times suggest having common WordPress backups and utilizing a firewall like Cloudflare (see extra WordPress safety ideas).

Now, if you happen to’re utilizing the plugins constructed by WP Engine, then you have to to both set up the WP Engine updater plugin to proceed receiving updates or discover an alternate, relying in your private choice.

What Ought to I Do as a WordPress Company with Involved shoppers?

You possibly can ship them a hyperlink to this weblog submit and re-assure them that WordPress continues to be secure and by far the most effective open supply CMS possibility available in the market.

A authorized trademark dispute between two corporations does NOT change the truth that WordPress is powered by 43% of all web sites (and rising). There are 60,000+ free WordPress plugins, and 1000’s of free WordPress themes obtainable available in the market that makes it straightforward to construct any sort of web site they need.

WordPress core growth progress continues, and WordPress 6.7 is coming quickly.

Listed below are some extra insights on WordPress market share and traits.

My Last Ideas

Regardless of every part that’s occurring proper now, I nonetheless love WordPress, and I consider in our wonderful WordPress group.

I’ve spent greater than half of my life within the WordPress group, and I’ll proceed to do every part in my energy to assist the group and our customers. See my latest submit on contributing to the WordPress ecosystem.

Lastly, I actually hope that the 2 revered corporations concerned within the lawsuit can come to an settlement quickly, so we will all deal with rising WordPress and serving to democratize publishing & commerce the world over.

As at all times, I wish to thanks on your continued assist of WPBeginner, and I sit up for persevering with serving you for years to return.

Yours Actually,

Syed Balkhi
Founding father of WPBeginner

References:

WP Engine Stop & Desist Letter

Automattic Stop & Desist Letter  

WP Engine formal lawsuit towards Automattic and Matt Mullenweg

A full checklist of commentary on The WP Minute

The submit WordPress Drama Defined (and The way it Could Have an effect on Your Web site) first appeared on WPBeginner.