WordPress vs WP Engine | Pixelcarve

WordPress vs WP Engine: What’s Happening?

The backstory, the blow-up, and how to avoid being caught in the crosshairs

On September 25, 2024, over 600,000 current WP Engine users suddenly found themselves unable to update themes, plugins, and security resources on their websites. 

Worse even, this issue wasn’t a temporary glitch, but a move by WordPress.org to block WP Engine from having free access to WordPress.org’s resources due to an on-going dispute between the two companies.

Two days later, seemingly due to increasing backlash rising from the tech community, WordPress.org issued a temporary reprieve and let WP Engine users re-gain access to their resources again. Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg posted the following on WordPress.org: 

Before midnight of October, 1 2024, when the WordPress.org reprieve on WP Engine was scheduled to end, WP Engine appeared to comply with the demands of Automattic and removed all WordPress Foundation and WooCommerce branding elements from their site.

It seems for now, the hundreds of thousands of WP Engine users can stop scrambling, get back to business – while the two businesses at the heart of this disruption settle their issues in court.

What events led to this block, and what was the reason for it? The official reason is trademark infringement, but there seems to be more to the story.

Where did things go wrong between the WP Engine and WordPress.org? And can WP Engine users really relax? Let’s discuss this further.

The Backstory: What Led to the Feud?

Not surprisingly, the tension between WordPress.org and WP Engine didn’t happen overnight—it’s been brewing for years. 

At the core of the tension is WP Engine’s commercial success and how the founder of WordPress.org and Automattic, Matt Mullenweg, seemingly feels WP Engine is operating in a way that’s not in the spirit of the open-source community. 

The Blow-Up: What’s Happening Now?

In a September 21 blog post on WordPress.org, Matt refers to WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress” and accuses them of, “strip-mining the WordPress ecosystem, giving our users a crappier experience so they can make more money.” 

Matt also noted on his personal blog, “We at Automattic have been attempting to make a licensing deal with (WP Engine) for a very long time, and all they have done is string us along.”

It seemed to be a matter of time before this conflict reached its breaking point – which it did on September 23. 

The First Legal Moves

The first tangible move came from WP Engine; they sent WordPress.org a cease and desist letter, alleging that Automattic and its CEO, Matt Mullenweg, cease making false and disparaging statements about WP Engine, stop interfering with their business relationships, and preserve all relevant documents related to the dispute. 

This letter outlined WP Engine’s accusations of coercive financial demands, defamation, and trademark misuse, setting the stage for the legal conflict that followed.

WordPress.org’s response?  Hours later, Automattic sent a cease and desist letter of their own to WP Engine. 

In the letter WP Engine was called out for allegedly misusing WordPress trademarks and unfairly benefiting from the WordPress ecosystem. The letter demanded WP Engine stop using the trademarks and intellectual property of WordPress Foundation and WooCommerce, Inc.

The Fight Moves to the People

Then WordPress.org blocked WP Engine users from WordPress.org resources.

As mentioned earlier, this likely impacted more than 600,000 active WP Engine users who were suddenly unable to perform updates to their sites. Many took to social media to figure out what was going on.

Today in Matt destroys the WordPress community: you can’t add plugins directly from the .org repo if you have a WP Engine site. And I can confirm that this is happening.https://t.co/vRd7jliVsM pic.twitter.com/9XGAtXhUoN

— Jacob Martella (@ViewFromTheBox) September 25, 2024

Not being able to do @WordPress updates because of the @photomatt/@wpengine fight is infuriating.

For a small nonprofit, being caught in the middle of this could be costly if we need to migrate our sites to a new host. That money/time should be used for our mission.

— Michael Geheren (@mgeheren) September 25, 2024

The Block Ends: WP Engine’s Response

To avoid further disruption, WP Engine took swift action before the temporary reprieve expired. By October 1, 2024, they appeared to comply with Automattic’s demands, removing all WordPress Foundation and WooCommerce branding from their website. 

This move ended the immediate block, allowing WP Engine users to regain access to essential updates and resources. While this compliance may have eased tensions for now, it’s clear that the underlying legal battle between the two giants is far from over.

Caught in the Crosshairs: How WP Engine Users Were Affected

When WordPress.org blocked WP Engine from accessing its resources, over 600,000 users were unable to update their themes, plugins, or apply critical security patches. This disruption left users vulnerable to potential security risks and performance issues, as regular updates are vital for maintaining site stability. 

For businesses running high-traffic sites, ecommerce platforms, and other WordPress-dependent services, this unexpected block caused significant concern. 

Users expressed frustration on social media, voicing their concerns about the potential impacts on their websites. 

Though WP Engine later complied with WordPress.org’s demands, the block highlighted how quickly an external dispute could disrupt operations.

Consider a New Hosting Alternative

With the recent WP Engine-WordPress dispute, many users may be considering safer hosting alternatives. To avoid future disruptions, it could be wise to choose a reliable provider. 

Managed hosting services, like those offered by Pixelcarve, provide stability and peace of mind for WordPress users. With proactive security monitoring, regular updates, and 24/7 support, you can keep your site running smoothly without getting caught in external conflicts. 

Hundreds of WordPress sites trust Pixelcarve to ensure uninterrupted service and proper website maintenance — perhaps it’s time to explore your options.

Learn more about Pixelcarve services.