The Alt Ctrl Org side event, held alongside WordCamp Europe 2025 in Basel, was initially envisioned as an informal meetup and a safe space for free expression and discussion about the open web. But the idea quickly gained traction. More than 200 people turned up, and the event was broadcast live on YouTube. When the event was first […]
The Community Responds to FAIR: Hope, Skepticism, and Support for Decentralizing WordPress
Within hours of FAIR’s launch at Alt Ctrl Org in Basel, reactions from across the WordPress community began rolling in — via blog posts, Slack threads, comment sections, and even on stage at WordCamp Europe. The Linux Foundation-backed project aims to decentralize WordPress plugin and theme distribution through a federated system of trusted repositories. Supporters say it’s a […]
New FAIR Project Aims to Decentralize WordPress.org Services, Backed by Linux Foundation and Hundreds of Contributors
A coalition of WordPress contributors, open source organizations and businesses have launched a project they hope will reshape how WordPress sites connect to the wider ecosystem — and remove dependency on WordPress.org while securing the project’s future. Known as FAIR — Federated and Independent Repositories — the project is essentially a plugin that can be installed on any WordPress […]
BlackRock Cuts Automattic Valuation by 17%
BlackRock has again cut the value of its stake in Automattic, marking its shares down by a further 17% in its latest quarterly disclosure report. As first reported by Samuel Sidler, the global asset manager now values its shares in Automattic at $31.03, down from $37.50 in December 2024. In December, TechCrunch reported that BlackRock had marked down […]
SponsorMeWP Launches to Help WordPress Contributors Get Funded
A new initiative aims to make it easier for companies to financially support independent contributors to the WordPress project, without needing GitHub profiles or existing corporate connections. SponsorMeWP, launched by Michelle Frechette and Marcus Burnette, is a free directory where contributors can list their skills, interests, and availability for sponsorship. Companies can browse the directory, find people to […]
WCEU 2025: A Community Celebration in the Swiss Sun
Photo by Nilo Velez Over 1,723 attendees from 84 countries gathered at the Messe and Congress Center Basel in Switzerland, and 20,353 more joined online for WordCamp Europe 2025. I’m personally very excited… There’s so much I want to do. I think there’s a clear pathway to 7.0 and beyond… Matt Mullenweg, WordPress Cofounder The flagship WordPress event […]
Announcing the Formation of the WordPress AI Team
Today, I’m pleased to announce the formation of a new WordPress AI Team, a dedicated group focused on accelerating and coordinating artificial intelligence projects across the WordPress ecosystem. AI is already transforming how people create and manage content online. As this technology evolves, it’s essential that WordPress remains at the forefront, ensuring innovation happens in the open, guided […]
WordPress Campus Connect Expands
WordPress Campus Connect, initially launched in October 2024 as a pilot program, has now been formally established as an official event series due to its resounding success. The inaugural program, spearheaded by myself, Anand Upadhyay, garnered immense enthusiasm from 400 Indian students who were eager to engage in hands-on WordPress training. WordPress Campus Connect transcends the conventional workshop […]
WordPress 6.8.1 Maintenance Release
WordPress 6.8.1 is now available! This minor release includes fixes for 15 bugs throughout Core and the Block Editor addressing issues affecting multiple areas of WordPress including the block editor, multisite, and REST API. For a full list of bug fixes, please refer to the release candidate announcement. WordPress 6.8.1 is a short-cycle maintenance release. More maintenance releases […]
