Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has announced a dramatic reduction in its contributions to the WordPress open-source project, from nearly 4,000 hours a week to just about 45 hours. This decision was made in response to tensions with WP Engine, a third-party hosting company, which Automattic's CEO Matt Mullenweg criticized for its contributions and ongoing legal disputes. The company cited these legal challenges as a significant drain on resources, leading to a reallocation of time and focus. Automattic’s scaling back has led to controversy within the WordPress community, and comes amid a backdrop of employee dissatisfaction and community criticism regarding Mullenweg's approach and leadership.

Key Points:

• Automattic reduces contributions to WordPress from 3,988 to 45 hours weekly.
• The cutback is linked to legal tensions with WP Engine and the need to match their contributions.
• Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine, referring to it as a "cancer" to the ecosystem.
• Employees were offered buyouts to leave amid discontent over the company's stance on WP Engine.
• Mullenweg dissolved the sustainability team within the WordPress.org project due to it failing to meet its goals.
• The changes have drawn criticism from the WordPress community, including notable journalists.
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