The world of WordPress, one of the leading platforms for building and hosting websites, is currently embroiled in a major controversy. The conflict centers around WordPress founder and Automattic CEO, Matt Mullenweg, and WP Engine, a company that provides hosting services for WordPress-based websites.

WordPress is an open-source, free technology that powers approximately 40% of the web. Users can either self-host their WordPress site or use hosting services from companies like Automattic or WP Engine for a more straightforward setup.

In mid-September, Mullenweg published a blog post where he referred to WP Engine as a "cancer to WordPress." He criticized the hosting company for disabling users' ability to view and track post revision history, a feature he considers essential for safeguarding user data. Mullenweg accused WP Engine of turning this feature off by default to cut costs.

He also took aim at WP Engine's investor, Silver Lake, for not contributing enough to the open-source community. Additionally, he criticized WP Engine’s use of the "WP" brand, which he believes misleads customers into thinking the company is affiliated with WordPress.

### The Legal Dispute

In response, WP Engine issued a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, demanding the retraction of his statements. WP Engine defended its use of the WordPress trademark as fair use and claimed that Mullenweg had threatened a "scorched earth nuclear approach" unless they agreed to pay a substantial portion of their revenue for a license to use the WordPress name.

Automattic responded with its own cease-and-desist letter, accusing WP Engine of violating trademark usage rules related to WordPress and WooCommerce.

The WordPress Foundation has updated its Trademark Policy page, specifically calling out WP Engine for allegedly misleading users. The page notes that while the abbreviation "WP" is not covered by WordPress trademarks, it should not be used in a way that causes confusion. It cited WP Engine as an example, saying that many users mistakenly believe "WP Engine" stands for "WordPress Engine" and assume it is officially affiliated with WordPress, which it is not. The Foundation also pointed out that despite WP Engine generating billions in revenue from WordPress, it has never donated to the WordPress Foundation.

### WP Engine Ban, Community Backlash, and Trademark Dispute

Following the escalating tensions, Matt Mullenweg banned WP Engine from accessing resources on WordPress.org. While WordPress themes and plugins are open source, providers like WP Engine must run a service to fetch these resources, which is not covered under the open source license. This ban broke many websites, blocking access to plugin and theme updates, and left some sites vulnerable to security threats, sparking discontent within the WordPress community.

In response, WP Engine accused Mullenweg of abusing his control over WordPress to disrupt access for their customers. The company claimed this move affected not just WP Engine, but the entire WordPress ecosystem, including plugin developers and users dependent on WP Engine’s tools like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF). WP Engine stated the real reason for the ban was their filing of litigation, not trademark issues.

However, by September 27, WordPress.org temporarily lifted the ban, allowing WP Engine access to resources until October 1. Mullenweg clarified in a blog post that the conflict is centered on WP Engine's trademark use. He revealed that Automattic had been negotiating a trademark licensing agreement for some time, but WP Engine had continuously stalled.

### Community Concerns and Trademark Worries

The WordPress community and other related projects expressed concern that this legal battle could set a troubling precedent. Many are seeking clarification from Automattic, which holds the exclusive license to the WordPress trademark, on what constitutes acceptable trademark use. The WordPress Foundation has also filed to trademark terms like "Managed WordPress" and "Hosted WordPress," raising fears that these could be used against developers and hosting providers in the future.

Some developers are now questioning the reliability of commercial open-source platforms like WordPress, as access to critical resources could be cut off at any time.

John O'Nolan, founder of the open-source CMS Ghost, also weighed in, criticizing the consolidation of control within WordPress. He emphasized the need for more diversity in web technologies, noting that no individual should control 40% of the web and 80% of the CMS market.

### WP Engine’s Response

By September 30, WP Engine updated its website’s footer to clarify its independence from the WordPress Foundation, stating that while it supports the WordPress community, it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the WordPress Foundation or WooCommerce. Additionally, the company rebranded its service plans, changing names like “Essential WordPress” and “Enterprise WordPress” to “Essential” and “Enterprise” to further reduce confusion over its connection with WordPress.