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The dispute between WordPress father Matt Mullenweg and hosting provider WP Engine continues , with Mullenwegannouncingthat WordPress is “ furcate ” a fireplug - in developed by WP Engine .
Specifically , Advanced Custom Fields — a plug - in throw it easier for WordPress users to customize their edit screen — is being taken out of WP Engine ’s hands and updated as a new plug - in called safe Custom Fields .
Mullenweg wrote that this gradation was necessary “ to take commercial-grade upsells and get a security trouble . ”
The Advanced Custom Fields teamresponded on X , describing this as a situation where a male plug - in “ under active development ” has been “ unilaterally and forcibly taken away from its creatorwithout consent , ” which it sound out has never happened “ in the 21 yr history of WordPress . ”
“ This essential community hope has been violated , and we involve everyone to consider the ethic of such an action , and the new common law that has been specify , ” the ACF team wrote .
Both Mullenweg ’s web log post anda replyfrom WordPress take that similar state of affairs have , in fact , happened before , though Mullenweg added , “ This is a rarefied and unusual situation brought on by WP Engine ’s effectual attacks , we do not forebode this happen for other plugins . ”
They also level to WordPress ’ quid - inguidelines , which give WordPress the right to disenable or off any plug - in , remove developer memory access , or exchange a stopple - in “ without developer consent , in the name of public condom . ”
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former Monday , after the initial proclamation , WordPressoffered more informationabout its security system concerns , concluding , “ [ ACF ’s ] computer code is presently insecure , and it is a willful neglect of their duty to customers for them to tell people to avoid Secure Custom Fields until they fix their exposure . ”
Some ground : WordPress is a free , open seed content management organisation used by many site ( let in TechCrunch ) , while companies like WP Engine and Mullenweg ’s Automattic offer hosting and other commercial services on top .
Last calendar month , Mullenwegpublished a blog postcriticizing WP Engine as a “ cancer to WordPress . ” His criticism hatch everything from WP Engine ’s lack of bread and butter for revision history to its investor Silver Lake , but he also suggested that its “ WP ” branding confuses customers , making it go like the troupe is formally connected to WordPress .
Cease - and - desist letters have gone both ways , with WP Engine claiming Mullenweg threaten to take a “ scorched earth nuclear approach ” unless the company pay to license the WordPress stylemark .
WordPress banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org , in short lift the proscription , then impose it again . This fundamentally keep WP Engine from updating the plug - in through WordPress.org — so it ca n’t extend automatic updates to address surety upshot .
WP Engine has , however , publish a workaroundfor users who want to update the plug - in and carry on using ACF . ( It say the workaround is only necessary for ACF ’s free user , as pro users will continue to find update through the ACF internet site . )
Moving forward , Mullenweg compose that Secure Custom Fields will be available as a non - commercial plug - in : “ If any developer require to get involve in observe and ameliorate it , please get in hint . ”
This post has been updated to include more information from WordPress .
