The WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Drama

In the world of website building and content management systems, few names carry as much weight as WordPress. Powering over 43% of all websites on the internet, WordPress has become synonymous with website creation. However, a fundamental distinction—and source of substantial drama—exists within the WordPress ecosystem: WordPress.com versus WordPress.org.

This distinction is not merely a matter of domain names but represents two fundamentally different approaches to WordPress, leading to confusion, controversy, and occasional conflict. This article delves into the complex relationship between these two WordPress entities, examining their history, philosophical differences, business models, and the ongoing tensions between them.

The Origin Story: How the Split Began

The Birth of WordPress

To understand the drama, we need to start at the beginning. WordPress was born in 2003 when Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little forked an abandoned blogging software called b2/cafelog. Their goal was to create an open-source content management system that would democratize publishing.

The Formation of Automattic and WordPress.com

In 2005, Mullenweg founded Automattic, a company dedicated to WordPress-related services. Shortly thereafter, Automattic launched WordPress.com, a hosted service that allowed users to create WordPress websites without needing to find hosting or manage technical aspects. This commercial offering would soon create a philosophical tension with the original open-source project.

The WordPress Foundation

In 2010, the WordPress Foundation was established as a nonprofit organization to ensure the WordPress.org open-source project would continue regardless of the fate of any company. This separation set the stage for the ongoing distinction between WordPress.com (commercial) and WordPress.org (open-source).

The Fundamental Differences

WordPress.org: The Open-Source Project

WordPress.org is the home of the open-source WordPress software. Key characteristics include:

• Free and open-source: The software can be downloaded, modified, and used by anyone without cost.
• Self-hosted: Users must find their own hosting provider and manage installation and maintenance.
• Complete control: Users have full access to their website files, databases, and can modify code as desired.
• Plugin and theme freedom: Users can install any plugins or themes from any source.
• Community-driven: Development is guided by volunteers and contributors worldwide.

WordPress.com: The Commercial Service

WordPress.com, owned and operated by Automattic, offers a different approach:

• Hosted service: Automattic handles hosting, security, and technical management.
• Tiered pricing: Free basic services with paid upgrades for additional features.
• Limited customization: Particularly at lower tiers, users have restricted abilities to modify their sites.
• Curated plugins and themes: Users can only use approved extensions, with many requiring paid plans.
• Proprietary developments: Features are developed by Automattic employees and may not always be contributed back to the open-source project.

The Business Relationship

Automattic's Influence on WordPress

Automattic employs many core WordPress contributors, including Matt Mullenweg, who serves as both Automattic's CEO and the project lead for WordPress.org. This dual role creates an inevitable blurring of lines between the commercial interests of WordPress.com and the community interests of WordPress.org.

Economic Model Tensions

WordPress.com generates revenue directly from its services, while WordPress.org relies on the WordPress Foundation and the community. However, Automattic benefits significantly from improvements to the open-source project, creating an asymmetrical relationship that has been a source of tension.

Sources of Conflict

Brand Confusion

Perhaps the most persistent issue is the confusion between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Many new users don't understand the difference, leading to frustration when they discover limitations of WordPress.com or unexpected technical challenges with WordPress.org.

Feature Disparity and Contribution Imbalance

Critics argue that Automattic sometimes develops valuable features for WordPress.com that aren't contributed back to WordPress.org. This disparity raises questions about Automattic's commitment to the open-source ethos that founded WordPress.

Gutenberg Editor Controversy

The introduction of the Gutenberg editor in WordPress 5.0 (2018) exemplifies the tension. Developed largely by Automattic employees, this dramatic change to the editing experience was controversial within the community. Many perceived it as serving Automattic's commercial interests at the expense of the broader WordPress ecosystem.

Marketplace Competition

WordPress.com directly competes with many WordPress.org-based businesses:

• Hosting companies that specialize in WordPress
• Theme developers who sell premium themes
• Plugin developers whose business models are restricted on WordPress.com
• WordPress consultants and agencies who build WordPress.org sites

This competition creates an awkward dynamic where Automattic both leads the open-source project and competes with businesses built around it.

The Commercialization Controversy

Is Automattic Taking Advantage?

A persistent criticism is that Automattic benefits disproportionately from its association with the WordPress open-source project. By maintaining control over WordPress.com and the WordPress trademark (through the WordPress Foundation), Automattic has leveraged the WordPress brand in ways other companies cannot.

The Trademark Issue

The WordPress trademark is owned by the WordPress Foundation, which has strict guidelines about its usage. Some argue these rules disproportionately benefit Automattic, as WordPress.com can prominently feature the WordPress name in a way other commercial entities cannot.

Recent Developments

Jetpack's Expanding Role

Jetpack, an Automattic plugin for WordPress.org sites, has grown increasingly powerful, offering features that connect self-hosted sites to WordPress.com services. This bridge between the two ecosystems has been viewed by some as a strategic move to funnel WordPress.org users toward paid Automattic services.

WooCommerce Acquisition

Automattic's acquisition of WooCommerce in 2015 (the most popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress) raised concerns about Automattic's growing influence over the WordPress ecosystem. This move gave Automattic significant control over the WordPress e-commerce space.

Tumblr and Day One Acquisitions

Further acquisitions, including Tumblr and journaling app Day One, have expanded Automattic's portfolio beyond WordPress-specific services, potentially diluting focus on the core WordPress project while leveraging its technology.

Community Perspectives

The WordPress Purists

Some community members advocate for a clearer separation between Automattic and the WordPress project, arguing that the commercial interests of WordPress.com too often influence WordPress.org development priorities.

The Pragmatists

Others argue that Automattic's financial success and contributions are vital to WordPress's continued development and that the tension between commercial and open-source interests creates productive innovation.

The Alternatives Movement

Growing frustration has led some developers to explore alternative CMS options or fork WordPress into different projects, though none have gained significant market share compared to WordPress.

Moving Forward: Potential Solutions

Greater Transparency

Many community members call for clearer boundaries between Automattic's commercial products and the open-source project, with more transparent decision-making processes.

Rebranding Opportunities

Some suggest that renaming one of the entities could help eliminate confusion. "Automattic WordPress" for the commercial service has been proposed, though this would require significant change management.

Governance Reform

Restructuring the governance of WordPress.org to include more diverse voices beyond Automattic could help balance commercial and community interests.

Conclusion

The relationship between WordPress.com and WordPress.org represents a fundamental tension in open-source software development: how to balance commercial interests with community governance, and how to maintain the open-source ethos while building sustainable businesses.

As WordPress continues to evolve, this tension will likely persist. The future of WordPress depends on finding a workable balance that respects both the commercial realities that fund development and the community principles that built WordPress into the dominant web platform it is today.

While the drama between WordPress.com and WordPress.org may never fully resolve, it represents an important case study in the challenges of sustaining open-source projects in a commercial world—a challenge that extends far beyond WordPress to the broader software ecosystem.

References

This article draws on publicly available information from WordPress.org, Automattic, the WordPress Foundation, and community discussions. For the most current information, readers are encouraged to visit the official websites of each entity and follow WordPress community blogs and forums.