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Automattic Cuts Weekly Contributor Hours to WordPress.org by 99% – Community Members Fear ‘Beginning of the End’

You’ve probably heard the buzz by now, but just in case, the news is significant: Automattic is reducing its weekly contributor hours to WordPress.org from approximately 4,000 to just 45. This monumental shift represents a drastic change in the way WordPress has operated, particularly since the introduction of the “Five for the Future” initiative that encouraged companies to allocate 5% of their resources for WordPress development.

Mary Hubbard, the new Executive Director of WordPress, announced this change, sparking concerns within the community about its implications, given that Automattic has historically been the largest contributor to the open-source project. While other contributors typically averaged between 100 and 400 hours, Automattic’s previous commitment far exceeded this range.

Given the recent announcement, it’s uncertain what the fallout will entail. It’s conceivable that Matt Mullenweg, Automattic’s co-founder, might reverse this decision, as he did with a previous “holiday break.” Assuming this substantial cut is a long-term adjustment, we can explore several potential impacts on open-source WordPress.

Four Possible Implications

The WordPress community has been active in discussing the implications of this reduction. Here are four areas to consider:

1. Loss of Critical Documentation and Knowledge Infrastructure

One prominent concern is the loss of crucial documentation and the knowledge backbone that contributors such as Anne McCarthy have provided. McCarthy, a core team member at Automattic since 2014, has contributed significantly to various areas including documentation and testing. With her hours now reduced to zero, the gap in institutional knowledge is profound, leaving uncertainty regarding who else may have been maintaining similar resources critical to WordPress development.

2. Security and Development Oversight Concerns

Mary Hubbard has claimed that the focus of the remaining contributor hours will be on security and critical updates. However, community members are expressing doubts about whether 45 hours a week can adequately replace the extensive oversight previously provided. The drastic drop raises concerns about the handling of security vulnerabilities, feature reviews, performance monitoring, and overall development health—areas crucial for maintaining WordPress’s reliability as a platform.

3. Potential WordPress.com/WordPress.org Split

The distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org has often confused newcomers, as they serve different purposes despite sharing a name. Some community members speculate that Automattic’s reduced commitments may signal the beginning of a separation between the two. There’s a potential for Automattic to prioritize its commercial platform, WordPress.com, over the community-driven WordPress.org, leading to a clear divide between commercial and open-source versions of WordPress.

4. Community Governance Challenges

The reduction of Automattic’s contributions brings up critical questions about the governance structure of WordPress. Currently controlled by a small group, this system has been effective in the past, but the recent changes highlight the potential conflicts arising from Automattic’s influence on the project. As critical voices call for broader community governance, there’s a growing discourse about whether a more decentralized approach might be more beneficial for the ecosystem.

The Path Ahead

The ramifications of Automattic’s drastic cut in contributor hours are indeed serious and far-reaching. As the WordPress community navigates this uncertain terrain, several companies are stepping up their contributions, which may signal a shift towards a more collaborative ecosystem.

Ultimately, this situation presents an opportunity for the community to reevaluate its dependency on a single corporate entity while considering how to foster a more sustainable model of development and governance within the WordPress ecosystem. The dialogue surrounding these changes remains crucial, and community engagement will be key in shaping WordPress’s future.


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