Your WordPress Site Is Under Attack: How Two Corporate Giants Are Disrupting Your Online Presence
Your WordPress website might be under attack—and not from hackers, but from decisions made at the top by two major players in the industry. In a surprising and controversial move, WordPress, led by Matt Mullenweg, has blocked WP Engine and Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) from their platform. These are tools that many developers and businesses depend on to maintain high-performing, customized websites.
Posted: October 06, 2024
Updated: October 12, 2024
Why Has WordPress Made this Decision & How Does It Impact Your Site
Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and what you need to do to protect your online presence.
October 12 Update.
The infighting escalates as WordPress dot org takes over the Plugin
WordPress responds in the comments.
Bottom Line...your WordPress Website now has security vulnerabilities and is at risk.
From ACF: "If you have a site managed elsewhere using ACF, in order to get ACF updates you must perform a 1-time download of the genuine 6.3.8 version via the Advanced Custom Fields website to remain safe in the future. The update servers for wordpress dot org are no longer controlled by the ACF team. You’ve been trusting ACF for over a decade. The experts that maintain ACF will continue to support and enhance the capabilities that our users love and trust."
October 11th - Fireship YouTube Video Explains All
TLDR: "There's only one loser in this war and that's the WordPress user"
October 8th - Original Post
What’s Happening?
Recently, WordPress blocked WP Engine and Advanced Custom Fields—from its platform, leaving tens of thousands and potentially millions of users and developers in a difficult situation.
• WP Engine: A leading managed WordPress hosting provider known for its performance optimization and security features tailored specifically to WordPress.
• Advanced Custom Fields (ACF): A popular plugin that allows developers to add custom content fields, enabling sophisticated layouts and functionality without deep coding knowledge.
WordPress’s CEO, Matt Mullenweg, has expressed concerns about how these companies operate, leading to their exclusion. But for the millions of websites that rely on these tools, this move feels like an attack on their ability to maintain a fully functional and optimized site.
If you have a WordPress site that uses Advanced Custom Fields, you can interpret that tweet as going to cost you 💰💰💰 and lots of it. And when will the developer or host get to your website for the migration???
Why Did WordPress Block WP Engine and ACF?
WordPress fires back on X
Several factors contributed to this unexpected decision:
• Monetization and Open Source: WordPress has always championed its open-source philosophy, meaning anyone can use, modify, and distribute its software for free. WP Engine and ACF offer paid, premium versions of their services, which some argue goes against the open-source ethos. Mullenweg’s move signals an attempt to preserve WordPress’s core mission.
• Control Over the Ecosystem: As WordPress expands with products like the Gutenberg block editor, Automattic (the company behind WordPress) seems to be tightening its control over which tools are considered “official” parts of the platform. Blocking WP Engine and ACF, may be a strategy to ensure they are not at the mercy of external premium services.
• GPL Compliance: WordPress operates under the General Public License (GPL), which mandates that any derivative work must also be open-source. It’s believed that WordPress leadership feels these tools don’t fully align with the GPL’s principles, leading to this harsh stance.
ACF takes to X to address the block
How Does This Impact Your Website?
This decision could have significant consequences for website owners and developers, depending on their reliance on WP Engine or ACF.
• Site Performance: If your site is hosted on WP Engine, you may experience interruptions or need to migrate to a different hosting provider that is fully supported by WordPress.
• Customization Challenges: For those who use ACF to create custom content fields, this block could seriously limit your ability to build flexible, user-friendly layouts without diving into complex code. Finding alternatives that offer the same level of customization might be difficult, especially for those unfamiliar with more technical development.
• Increased Complexity: Without these tools, maintaining your site’s performance and functionality could become more difficult and expensive, requiring developers to invest more time or explore other premium services that still integrate with WordPress.
What Should You Do Next?
As a website owner or developer, it’s crucial to take action to ensure your site’s stability in light of these changes. Here are a few steps you can take:
• Evaluate Your Dependencies: Check if your website heavily relies on WP Engine hosting or ACF for custom fields. If so, start planning for possible transitions or workarounds.
• Explore Alternatives: While WordPress’s own block editor is improving, you may need to explore alternative plugins or hosting services that align with WordPress’s direction and remain supported on the platform.
• Stay Informed: Keep an eye on updates from WordPress, WP Engine, and ACF. This may not be the final word on this issue, as user feedback and community pressure could lead to a reversal or compromise.
Conclusion
The blocking of WP Engine and Advanced Custom Fields by WordPress is a wake-up call for website owners and developers. It’s a reminder that even major tools and services can be affected by corporate decisions at the highest levels. The good news? With the right planning and an informed approach, you can still protect your website and maintain its performance and flexibility.
As WordPress continues to evolve, we’ll be watching closely and keeping you updated on how to adapt to these changes. If you need guidance on navigating this complex situation, reach out to us for expert advice.
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Sources & Further Reading
WP Engine is banned from WordPress.org
The Verge. Matt Mullenweg: ‘WordPress.org just belongs to me’
88 Create Uses Sanity CMS
Meet Sanity: a modern, composable alternative to WordPress
Front End Fire Podcast
WordPress Wars Continue, React Server Functions, and Web Component Backlash
Deno 2.0, Web Components on the Server, and WordPress Drama(Starts at 15min mark)
