Exodus Begins? BuddyPress Lead Developer Quits WordPress Altogether
by Karol K Karol KDecember 2, 2024WordPress News
Mathieu Viet, the driving force behind BuddyPress, has made a heartfelt announcement: he’s stepping away from the WordPress ecosystem…entirely.

His departure comes as a result of controversial actions by Matt Mullenweg and Automattic, particularly related to the high-profile battle between them and WP Engine, and the recent surprise release of the SCF plugin that allegedly copied ACF’s paid features.

Can this decision be a pivotal moment for WordPress? In this post, I try to look into what Viet’s exit means for the platform and reflect on the larger challenges here.

Mathieu Viet’s announcement
Mathieu Viet shared a detailed statement explaining his reasons for leaving the WordPress community. In his announcement, he expressed serious concerns about the actions of Matt Mullenweg, stating:

At a time when we need peace more than ever, the co-founder of the WordPress® software […] in short Mr. Mullenweg has launched into a trade war with one of the competitors of his commercial empire under the pretext of defending open source.

Mathieu Viet
He felt that the community of volunteers was becoming “unwitting accomplices in practices contrary to rudimentary Web and business ethics.”

Due to these concerns, Viet not only decided to stop contributing to WordPress projects, including BuddyPress, but also planned to migrate to a different publishing platform altogether.

Just last week, we talked about some growing unrest in the community and the potential for key people leaving in search of “more peaceful waters.” I didn’t expect, however, that we’d be covering a follow-up so soon.

BuddyPress lead developer quits #WordPress altogether 😲
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The final straw that broke Mathieu Viet’s ties with WordPress
Mathieu Viet’s decision to leave the WordPress community is closely tied to a specific incident involving Automattic and WP Engine. Recently, WordPress.org released a plugin called “Secure Custom Fields,” which is reportedly a copy of the Pro version of the “Advanced Custom Fields” plugin owned by WP Engine. This new plugin is available for free in the WordPress plugin directory.

👉 I wrote about it in detail here.

This action has sparked significant controversy in the community. Many developers and users are questioning the ethics of this move. On Reddit, the responses have been overwhelmingly critical, with discussions about the implications for intellectual property and open-source principles.

In his announcement, Viet specifically mentioned this incident as a tipping point for his departure.

Community reactions
You probably already have some expectations of what those reactions might be.

And…you’d be right.

There have been numerous comments on Reddit, expressing support for Viet and concerns over the current state of WordPress leadership.

Some more notable comments:

Good on him for making a stand against this […] If anyone else acted in such a petulant way as Matt has in ANY other company they would be shown the door.

This is a notable event.

[…] I don’t blame Mr Mathieu, but honestly, I hope as a community, we can bring this madness to an end, A lot of damage has been done, but I am hopeful we can forget the past at one point, make amends and move forward and come back with a […] vengeance.
Not asking for Peace in the World, just asking for Peace in the WordPress ecosystem.

The announcement also got support from John James Jacoby, a well-known contributor and lead developer of bbPress.

John James Jacoby’s support
Overall, the mood among community members is one of concern but also looking for solutions. Many are questioning the direction in which WordPress is heading and whether its core values are being upheld.

The road ahead
These recent events have brought some tough truths to light in the WordPress community, and Mathieu Viet’s departure feels like a clear signal. It’s likely he felt his voice no longer mattered – a feeling no one should experience in a community built on open collaboration and shared values.

When someone like this walks away, it raises hard questions about whether WordPress is still reflecting the principles it was founded on.

Of course, I can only speak for myself, but what I feel we need right now is some real, transparent dialogue – conversations that rebuild trust and the core values that made WordPress what it is.

Viet’s exit highlights how vital it is for all of us to feel heard and to see our values represented in the platform we invest so much into.

What do you think about all this? Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear your perspective.

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