WordPress vs WP Engine: What exactly is the controversy?

The WordPress community is currently facing a significant controversy involving WordPress founder and Automattic CEO, Matt Mullenweg , and WP Engine , a hosting service for WordPress-based websites. WordPress, an open-source technology powering around 40% of websites, offers flexibility in hosting, with users either managing their own setup or choosing providers like Automattic or WP Engine.

In September, Mullenweg criticised WP Engine, describing it as a "cancer to WordPress" in a blog post. He accused the company of disabling users’ ability to track post revisions, arguing this compromises user data, and claimed it was a cost-saving measure by WP Engine. Additionally, Mullenweg alleged that WP Engine’s use of the "WP" brand misleads users into believing it’s officially associated with WordPress and criticised its investor, Silver Lake, for insufficient contributions to the open-source project.

The Legal Dispute

WP Engine responded with a cease-and-desist letter demanding a retraction, asserting that its use of the WordPress trademark was protected under fair use. WP Engine alleged that Mullenweg threatened severe action unless they paid for a WordPress trademark licence. Automattic countered with its own cease-and-desist, claiming WP Engine had breached trademark usage rules.

The WordPress Foundation updated its trademark policy, explicitly criticising WP Engine’s branding as misleading. It highlighted that while "WP" isn’t trademark-protected, WP Engine's actions caused confusion, and despite generating significant revenue, WP Engine had not donated to the WordPress Foundation.

The Ban and Community Reaction

Following this, Mullenweg banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources, impacting many websites that relied on WP Engine for plugin and theme updates, leaving them vulnerable to security issues. The move sparked widespread criticism within the WordPress community.

WP Engine accused Mullenweg of abusing his influence over WordPress to disrupt their operations, arguing this action affected not just WP Engine but also its customers, plugin developers, and the wider open-source community.

Mullenweg clarified that the dispute was strictly about trademarks, stating that Automattic had tried negotiating a licence with WP Engine, which had been uncooperative.

Implications for the Community

The controversy has raised concerns among the wider WordPress community and related projects about potential future actions by Automattic. There are fears that trademark enforcement, such as those filed for terms like "Managed WordPress" and "Hosted WordPress," could impact developers and service providers, leaving them anxious about relying on commercial open-source products linked to WordPress.