What to know

  • Automattic announced it will resume contributing to the WordPress open source project after a months-long pause.
  • The company had withdrawn its developers from the project earlier this year following disagreements with the WordPress leadership.
  • Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and WordPress co-founder, cited improved governance and communication as reasons for returning.

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, announced yesterday that it will resume contributing to the WordPress open source project. This decision comes after the company paused its contributions earlier this year due to disagreements with the project's leadership and governance structure.

The announcement came via a blog post from Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic and co-founder of the WordPress project. "After productive discussions with the WordPress leadership team, we believe the conditions are right for us to resume our contributions to the core project," Mullenweg wrote.

Automattic had withdrawn dozens of its developers from WordPress development in February, creating concern throughout the WordPress community. The company has historically been one of the largest contributors to the open source project, with many of its employees dedicating significant time to WordPress development.

The pause in contributions stemmed from disagreements over the project's direction, decision-making processes, and what Mullenweg described as "communication breakdowns" between Automattic and other WordPress leadership figures.

According to sources familiar with the situation, the conflict centered around proposed changes to the WordPress editor and the project's release schedule. Automattic had pushed for faster innovation cycles, while other community leaders advocated for more deliberate development timelines.

"We've reached agreements on improved governance structures and clearer communication channels," Mullenweg explained in the announcement. "These changes will help ensure all contributors feel their voices are heard while maintaining the project's momentum."

The WordPress Foundation, which oversees the open source project, released a statement welcoming Automattic's return. "The WordPress ecosystem is stronger when all major stakeholders are actively involved," the statement read. "We've worked hard to address concerns and create a more inclusive development environment."

Automattic developers will begin rejoining WordPress core teams next week, with full participation expected by mid-June. The company plans to focus initially on the upcoming WordPress 6.4 release, scheduled for later this summer.

This reconciliation comes at a critical time for WordPress, which powers approximately 43% of all websites on the internet. The platform faces increasing competition from other content management systems and website builders.

Industry analysts note that the temporary split highlighted the complex relationship between commercial entities and open source projects. "This situation demonstrates the delicate balance required when a for-profit company is deeply involved with an open source community," said tech analyst Jamie Rodriguez.

WordPress users and developers can expect to see increased development activity in the coming weeks as Automattic's team reintegrates into the project.