Matt Mullenweg, co-creator of WordPress, just lately held a question-and-answer session at WordCamp Asia 2025, the place he confronted a number of powerful questions. Matters included whether or not he was open to discussing change, the steep studying curve of WordPress, and whether or not he would rethink lowering Automattic’s contributions to WordPress core.
As powerful as these questions have been, Matt answered every of them gracefully and centered on staying constructive, even when he was saying no.
Mullenweg Says Being Adaptable To Change Is Essential
In one among these exchanges somebody requested what WordPress could be like in 5 years and he couldn’t reply it. He defined it that not having a plan past Gutenberg was basically a characteristic and never a bug, explaining {that a} shorter time period perspective is nice for staying agile in a quickly altering technological surroundings.
He mentioned:
“Exterior of Gutenberg, we haven’t had a roadmap that goes six months or a yr, or a pair variations, as a result of the world modifications in methods you may’t predict.
However being responsive is, I feel, actually is how organisms survive.
You already know, Darwin, mentioned it’s not the fittest of the species that survives. It’s the one which’s most adaptable to vary. I feel that’s true for software program as effectively.”
Change Is Not Coming To WordPress
In a seeming about face in regards to the significance of WordPress being adaptable to vary, Matt Mullenweg drew the road at being adaptable to vary in the case of governance.
Taco Verdonschot (LinkedIn profile) stood as much as ask the query.
“I’m Taco, co-owner of Progress Planner. I used to be questioning, you have been speaking about adaptability earlier than and survival of the fittest. Meaning being open to vary. What we’ve seen within the final couple of months is that individuals who have been speaking about change bought banned from the venture. How open are you to discussing change within the venture?
Matt answered:
“Certain. I don’t need to go too far into this however I’ll say that speaking about change won’t get you banned. There’s different behaviors… however simply speaking about change is one thing that we do just about day by day. And we’ve modified so much over time. We’ve modified so much previously yr. So yeah. However I don’t need to converse to anybody personally, you understand. So preserve it constructive.”
Calls For Change In Governance
There have been many excessive profile requires a change in how WordPress is ruled, most notably by Joost de Valk, the creator of Yoast search engine optimization software program and presently a co-owner of the Progress Planner WordPress plugin.
“Loads has occurred over the previous few months, that I feel all comes right down to the above. I’ve usually thought of how the WordPress world “labored” unhealthy. I’ve spoken to many barely exterior of our business over the previous months about what was occurring and a number of other folks, impartial of one another, described WordPress as “a cult” to me. And I perceive why.
I feel it’s time to let go of the cult and alter venture management. I’ve mentioned it earlier than: we’d like a “board”. We will’t wait with doing that for the years it’ll take for Automattic and WP Engine to combat out this lawsuit. As was already reported, Matt mentioned just lately in Put up Standing that “it’s laborious to think about eager to proceed engaged on WordPress after this”. Just a few days later, he gave a very conflicting message within the State of the Phrase. But he by no means got here again on that first assertion or clarified that he’d modified his thoughts. He additionally didn’t come again to speak to the group he turned his again on.”
Joost de Valk was supposed to talk at WordPress Asia 2025 however the co-owner of Progress Planner was there and requested the laborious query.
Mullenweg Challenged To Adapt To Change
His assertion about being adaptable to vary arrange one other awkward second on the 6:55:47 minute mark the place Taco Verdonschot, co-owner of Progress Planner, stood as much as the microphone and requested Mullenweg if he actually was dedicated to being adaptable.
Taco Verdonschot is previously of Yoast search engine optimization and presently sponsored to work on WordPress by Emilia Capital (owned by Joost de Valk and Marieke van de Rakt).
Taco requested:
“I’m Taco, co-owner of Progress Planner. I used to be questioning, you have been speaking about adaptability earlier than and survival of the fittest. Meaning being open to vary. What we’ve seen within the final couple of months is that individuals who have been speaking about change bought banned from the venture. How open are you to discussing change within the venture?”
Mullenweg responded:
“Certain. I don’t need to go too far into this however I’ll say that speaking about change won’t get you banned. There’s different behaviors… however simply speaking about change is one thing that we do just about day by day. And we’ve modified so much over time. We’ve modified so much previously yr. So yeah. However I don’t need to converse to anybody personally, you understand. So preserve it constructive.”
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