Matt Mullenweg Deactivates WordPress Contributor Accounts Over Alleged Fork Plans

Automattic CEO and WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg recently deactivated the accounts of several key contributors, fueling a growing debate over the platform’s future. The dispute revolves around WordPress governance and the potential for a new “fork” of the open-source project.

What Sparked the Controversy?

The conflict began in September when Mullenweg criticized WP Engine, a commercial hosting company using WordPress, for profiting from the platform without contributing to the community. This public clash led to a lawsuit after WP Engine’s access to critical WordPress resources was restricted, only to be later restored by a court order.

Amidst this, influential figures like Joost de Valk, creator of the popular Yoast SEO plugin, and Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite, expressed concerns over WordPress’s governance. De Valk proposed a “new WordPress era” with federated repositories for themes and plugins, suggesting a more decentralized approach to platform management.

Why Did Mullenweg Deactivate Contributor Accounts?

In a dramatic move, Mullenweg deactivated the accounts of key community members, including de Valk, Marucchi, and others like Sé Reed, Heather Burns, and Morten Rand-Hendriksen. While Mullenweg accused them of planning to fork WordPress, both de Valk and Marucchi denied these intentions.

Despite this, the deactivation prevents these contributors from using official WordPress channels to contribute. However, since WordPress is open-source, they can still work on their versions of the platform elsewhere, particularly through GitHub.

Could a WordPress Fork Be Coming?

The idea of a “fork” refers to developers taking WordPress’s open-source code and creating an independent version. Mullenweg humorously mentioned “JKPress” as a possible new fork, suggesting that de Valk and Marucchi might lead such an initiative. He emphasized that open-source software allows anyone to create their vision.

De Valk clarified that the goal wasn’t to fork WordPress but to explore decentralized “mirrors” for themes and plugins. This would allow other platforms to host and share WordPress assets outside the main WordPress repository, offering more independence.

The Governance Debate and WordPress’s Future

The ongoing tensions highlight deeper concerns over WordPress’s governance. WordPress has long been guided by Automattic’s leadership, but some community members are pushing for greater decentralization. The creation of the WP Community Collective by Reed and others aims to offer a more neutral space for WordPress collaboration.

Despite these calls for change, Mullenweg stands by the current governance model, arguing that the strength of WordPress lies in its unified leadership.

What’s Next for WordPress?

As de Valk and Marucchi continue to push their vision for the platform, it’s unclear whether their efforts will result in a fork or lead to changes within WordPress itself. What’s certain is that the future of WordPress is in flux. The open-source nature of the platform means ideas and innovation are always on the table.

While Mullenweg’s deactivation of contributor accounts has caused controversy, it also underscores the flexibility and openness of open-source projects. The direction WordPress will take remains uncertain, but it will likely involve new leadership models and potentially new versions of the platform.

Conclusion

Matt Mullenweg’s decision to deactivate contributor accounts has ignited a fierce debate about the future of WordPress. As tensions between centralized leadership and calls for decentralization grow, the platform’s evolution is likely to take unexpected turns.

Whether this results in a new fork or a reformed governance structure, the future of WordPress remains in the hands of its community—and it’s clear that change is on the horizon.