Welcome to the story of the WordPress drama, a clash between giants in the world of website building. Let's dive into the beginning of this conflict.

At the heart of the story is Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Automattic, the company behind WordPress. Automattic has long been a champion of open-source software.

On the other side is WP Engine, a major WordPress hosting provider. Their business model, however, became a point of contention.

The tension between Automattic and WP Engine began to rise over concerns about WP Engine's contributions to the open-source community and alleged trademark misuse.

The conflict exploded publicly at WordCamp US in September 2023.

"Vote with your wallet." Matt Mullenweg, 2023

Mullenweg's public criticism and subsequent cease-and-desist letters from both sides ignited a firestorm.

The situation took a dramatic turn when Automattic blocked WP Engine's access to the WordPress.org repository.

This action prevented WP Engine from updating plugins and themes for its 1.5 million websites, causing widespread disruption.

Lawsuits flew, with accusations of trademark infringement, extortion, and slander exchanged between both parties.

The public reaction was swift and largely negative towards Automattic and Mullenweg.

The WordPress Foundation updated its trademark policy, further escalating the conflict and raising questions about the future of the platform.

Discussions about forking WordPress have emerged, highlighting the deep divisions within the community.