WordPress co-founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg, talking on stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Wednesday, stated he’s not frightened that the current authorized drama between his firm, Automattic, and WordPress host WP Engine might result in a fork of the open supply WordPress software program. In truth, he stated, he’d welcome it.
“There is likely to be a fork. I imply, we’ve had WordPress forks earlier than — in all probability about three or 4 occasions within the historical past [of WordPress],” Mullenweg stated, in response to a query about whether or not he was frightened concerning the potential of a fork. “That’s one of many lovely issues about open supply is that there is usually a fork.”
The Automattic CEO additionally advised that rival WP Engine basically had already forked the software program as a result of the model they run is “very, very totally different” from what the WordPress core is immediately. If WordPress was then formally forked on account of this rising discontent along with his path of the neighborhood and the authorized battle over using the WordPress trademark, Mullenweg advised that may be the higher path.
“I believe that’d be improbable, really. So individuals can have various governance or an alternate strategy,” he famous.
The exec additionally identified that the scale of the WordPress neighborhood might help such a transfer. WordPress 6.7, which is popping out in a number of weeks, had over 600 contributors, for instance. “Solely about 10% of these are from Automattic,” Mullenweg stated.
Plus, he famous that the WordPress core software program had seen some 40 million downloads since September 17. “The precise exercise of WordPress goes fairly sturdy,” he added.
The interview got here amid a heated authorized dispute with the WordPress internet hosting supplier WP Engine, which has upset the open supply neighborhood, and led to the departure of over 150 Automattic workers who disagree with Mullenweg’s new path.
Mullenweg alleged that WP Engine’s use of the “WP” model is supposed to confuse individuals into pondering that WP Engine is formally related to WordPress, when it isn’t, and suggests the corporate doesn’t do sufficient to contribute to WordPress, which WP Engine (and others) disagree with. Consequently, he’s asking WP Engine to share 8% of its income (or the equal of income when it comes to engineering hours engaged on the core).
“It’s not simply concerning the cash. It’s actually about like … in case you’re gonna revenue off the WordPress trademark, you have to be a part of the WordPress ecosystem,” Mullenweg stated at Disrupt.
This isn’t the primary time Mullenweg has advised a fork may very well be an answer to the continued debate round the way forward for WordPress. Earlier in October, he posted on X that he would “welcome extra forks.”
