WordPress Still in the Eye of the Storm: Legal Issues and Obsolete Technology

WordPress remains in the eye of the storm. The WordPress community, once known for its collaboration and vast developer ecosystem, is going through one of its worst moments. Not only are there legal disputes and clashes between key players—Matt Mullenweg, Automattic, WP Engine, among others—but its technology is also starting to show clear signs of aging compared to more modern and efficient options.

1. A Lawsuit Shaking the Foundations of WordPress

The conflict between Automattic (Matt Mullenweg's company) and WP Engine escalated quickly in December 2024, when WP Engine obtained a preliminary court order forcing Automattic to allow access to WordPress.org resources. According to public statements, Automattic had been hindering WP Engine's plugin updates and blocking their developments.

Tensions rose when Mullenweg, in a series of unconventional moves, temporarily shut down WordPress.org during the holiday season. This created uncertainty among users and developers, who were unable to update plugins or upload new themes during a crucial period for many online businesses.

In the midst of this situation, Mullenweg adopted a dramatic tone regarding the alleged "free obligations" imposed by WP Engine. He even invited people to "fund legal attacks" against him by hiring WP Engine's services, showing an unusual level of hostility in the open-source world.

2. The Conflict Grows: Automattic Reduces Contributions

After the lawsuit, Automattic announced it would significantly reduce its contributions to the open-source version of WordPress, cutting them to just 45 hours of work per week. They justified this measure as a way to "match" the effort WP Engine invests in WordPress. They also emphasized that they do not intend to neglect critical security patches, but will focus most of their efforts on lucrative projects like WordPress.com.

This raises a big question: how will this drastic reduction in resources affect the future development of WordPress? Historically, Automattic has been the main driving force behind the platform, for better or worse. The community, already facing confusing governance, is now forced to take on greater responsibilities just as Mullenweg seems more interested in media drama than in the stable continuity of the project.

3. Disappointments in the Community and the Case of Joost de Valk

The WordPress community is not only shaken by the uncertainty of lawsuits and reduced contributions. There is also a sense that some of its most well-known members are not responding as strongly as expected. This is the case with Joost de Valk, creator of a popular SEO plugin. Although he has published comments criticizing the situation, his voice has not had the strong impact many hoped for.

Despite his reputation, his appearances and statements have gone somewhat unnoticed—partly because the tensions with Automattic and Mullenweg dominate attention, and partly because, in some circles, de Valk is seen as not rising to the occasion. Some consider his stance lukewarm or not proactive enough, showing that even community leaders seem unable to find a way to steer WordPress back on course.

4. Is WordPress Falling Behind Technologically?

Internal problems are compounded by a fact many developers have pointed out for some time: WordPress is becoming outdated. Its foundations, though robust in their time, date back more than a decade and a half, and this is taking its toll compared to new options with more modern architectures.

• Monolithic approach: While the web ecosystem is evolving toward microservices or headless architectures, WordPress maintains a monolithic core that can become slow and difficult to scale.
• Excessive plugins: For many features, WordPress relies on a tangle of plugins that, while flexible, can create incompatibilities and security vulnerabilities.
• Forced updates: The community is often caught in a wave of updates that, between core and plugin updates, can break production sites or create more problems than they solve.

In such a dynamic digital environment, these limitations are becoming very evident. Adding to this the growing instability in project leadership, it's no wonder many entrepreneurs and developers are looking for alternatives that offer not only peace of mind but also superior technological performance.

5. Marte: The New Generation CMS for SMEs Seeking Agility and Control

In this turbulent landscape, a new option is gaining attention: Marte, a recently launched CMS boasting cutting-edge technology and a clear focus on the Spanish-speaking market. Compared to the problems plaguing WordPress, Marte offers:

1. Modern architecture: Designed for scalability and efficiency from the ground up, avoiding the legacy burdens of veteran platforms.
2. Spanish interface and ease of use: Created so small and medium-sized businesses can take full control of their content without language or technical barriers.
3. Reduced dependencies: Minimizes the need to install third-party plugins or extensions that could cause vulnerabilities or performance issues.
4. Support and emerging community: Although a young project, it has a dedicated team and a growing community free from the disputes and grudges that currently cloud WordPress.

For SMEs that cannot afford downtime or critical errors, Marte represents a more agile solution, aimed at providing stability and a simple yet powerful workflow. Amid the uncertainty reigning in the WordPress ecosystem, businesses of all sizes are starting to look at alternatives like Marte, where a reliable site can be developed in less time and with fewer complications.

6. Final Thoughts: The Community Needs a New Direction

The decline in the relationship between Automattic and WP Engine, Mullenweg's theatrical attitudes, and the inconsistent stances of figures like Joost de Valk, far from fixing the situation, only make it more tangled. WordPress may still be usable, but it no longer seems like the obvious and safe choice it once was.

The urgency to seek other platforms becomes more apparent as WordPress's own technology falls short in an era that demands flexibility, speed, and ease of maintenance. Marte arrives at a key moment to offer a breath of fresh air, avoiding the accumulated vices of WordPress and opening the door to a CMS that truly understands the current needs of Spanish-speaking SMEs.

If developers and entrepreneurs want to take an active role in the evolution of their sites, maybe it's time to seriously consider a change.