Matt Mullenweg criticizes WP Engine at WordPress community event
- Matt Mullenweg accused WP Engine of disabling essential WordPress features and profiting from the open-source project.
- He pointed out the significant difference in contributions to the WordPress community between Automattic and WP Engine.
- Mullenweg encouraged users to switch to other hosting providers, while WP Engine defended itself against the criticisms.
In September 2024, Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress, publicly criticized WP Engine, a managed WordPress hosting provider, labeling it a detrimental force within the WordPress ecosystem. He accused WP Engine of profiting from the open-source project while disabling essential features, such as content revisions, which are integral to WordPress's functionality. Mullenweg highlighted a stark contrast in contributions to the WordPress community between Automattic, the company he leads, and WP Engine, suggesting that WP Engine's limited support undermines the platform's core values. He urged users to consider switching to alternative hosting providers, emphasizing the ease of migration and the potential for better performance. Mullenweg's remarks sparked a significant backlash, prompting WP Engine to defend itself against what it termed unfair attacks, asserting that the criticisms were unfounded and aimed at damaging their business reputation.