Remember that messy situation in October when WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg forked the ACF plugin into “Secure Custom Fields”? Well, it’s taken an unexpected turn.
Sometimes, tech drama unfolds in unexpected ways. WP Engine returned to the WordPress.org saddle this month after a legal showdown that caught the entire developer community’s attention.
Key Developments
Court Steps In
– Automattic was ordered to restore WP Engine’s repository access
– The mandatory WordPress.org login checkbox disappeared
– WP Engine’s full repository access returned
ACF Plugin Update
– WP Engine is now officially listed as the plugin’s author
– ACF team confirmed they’re back in control
– Current ACF users: No action is needed on your part
Community Chatter: Not Everyone’s Singing the Same Tune
The WordPress ecosystem is buzzing, and opinions are as mixed as a developer’s coffee order:
Supportive Voices
– Brian Gardner (WP Engine) kept it simple: “Welcome home, ACF.”
– Many developers breathed a sigh of relief
The Skeptics
– Duane Storey raised eyebrows about repository trustworthiness
– Suggested developers might want a backup plan
Matt Mullenweg Speaks Out
In true Mullenweg fashion, he didn’t hold back: “I’m disgusted and sickened by being legally forced to provide free labor and services to @wpengine, a dangerous precedent that should chill every open source maintainer.”
What This Means for You, Developer
Beyond the drama, there are real takeaways:
– Open-source governance is more complex than it looks
– Legal mechanisms can quickly reshape community dynamics
– Always have a Plan B for your critical tools
The Road Ahead
One thing’s clear: the WordPress plugin ecosystem just got a lot more interesting.
**Keep Coding, Keep Creating**
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