Breaking developments reshape WordPress’s future, Is it the end of Matt Maullenweg’s control or it’s just a smoke?
The WordPress ecosystem finds itself at a pivotal moment as prominent community figures call for fundamental changes in the project’s governance structure.
This week brought significant developments that could reshape WordPress’s future, starting with Joost de Valk’s public statement challenging the current leadership model.
De Valk, co-founder of Yoast SEO, published “Breaking the Status Quo,” arguing that WordPress needs to move beyond its current single-leader structure. His critique comes amid rising tensions following Matt Mullenweg’s temporary closure of WordPress.org registrations and the ongoing Automattic-WP Engine legal dispute.
“We, the WordPress community, need to decide if we’re ok being led by a single person who controls everything,” de Valk wrote, proposing a five-point plan for reform:
1. Establish a foundation-led board with diverse industry representation
2. Transfer WordPress.org and community assets to this foundation
3. Reform trademark handling to allow freer usage
4. Create transparent sponsorship programs
5. Form specialized teams with clear governance structures
Community Leaders Rally for Change
Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite, quickly backed de Valk’s proposal, emphasizing the need to protect WordPress’s ecosystem. Marucchi outlined five critical priorities:
– Securing the supply chain and modernization efforts
– Defining and creating shared community resources
– Developing WordPress as an “Open-Web Operating System”
– Fostering innovation through open source
– Leading in data privacy and accessibility
The proposal has gained support from notable figures including Brian Gardner, Tonya Mork, and Katie Keith.
However, some community members expressed skepticism, with Andrei Lupu questioning whether “switching from one person’s vision to multiple people fighting for influence” would benefit the project.
Mullenweg’s Response
Matt Mullenweg’s response was brief but clear. Commenting on de Valk’s post, he suggested implementing these ideas “under a name other than WordPress,” noting the impossibility of achieving the proposed changes within the current WordPress framework.
A Fork in the Road
Morten Rand-Hendriksen’s “After WordPress” presents two potential paths forward:
1. A reformed WordPress with distributed governance and Mullenweg in a visionary rather than managerial role
2. A community-led effort to build something new, learning from WordPress’s 20-year journey
What’s Next?
De Valk and Marucchi plan to convene with community leaders in January 2025 to chart a path forward. The immediate focus will be on establishing federated repositories to prevent single-point control over WordPress’s plugin ecosystem.
Personal Take
As someone who’s in WordPress for years, I feel like a watershed moment. The community faces crucial decisions about governance, innovation, and sustainability. While change often brings uncertainty, it also creates opportunities for growth and improvement.
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WPMore Team
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