Developers Withdraw Popular Plugins from WordPress.org After ACF Controversy

In the wake of the recent Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) controversy on WordPress.org, multiple prominent developers have started pulling their plugins from the repository, voicing concerns about WordPress governance and security. The controversy began after a contentious fork of ACF, one of WordPress’s most popular plugins, which left many in the community questioning platform practices and integrity.

Gravity PDF Plugin Leads the Withdrawal

The first major developer to withdraw was Gravity PDF, a plugin with over 50,000 active installations and a strong 4.9 rating. The founder, Jake Jackson, expressed discontent with WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg’s handling of the ACF controversy, accusing him of “weaponizing WordPress.org” and undermining the integrity of open-source software. Jackson announced that Gravity PDF would now distribute its main version directly from GravityPDF.com to protect user security and maintain plugin autonomy.

“All existing settings, templates, and fonts will be preserved when users transition to the new version,” Jackson assured, while also noting that future plugin updates will bypass WordPress.org entirely. Reviews for Gravity PDF will now be hosted on G2.com.

Other Developers Follow Suit

Other developers quickly followed Gravity PDF’s lead, citing similar concerns over WordPress.org’s practices. Bill Erickson, the creator of BE Media from Production and Display Posts, announced he would no longer host his plugins on the platform. His statement echoed concerns over platform autonomy and transparency, and he has since migrated his plugins to GitHub for users to access directly. Erickson tweeted, “If you use my plugin BE Media from Production, it’s now hosted only on GitHub,” signaling a shift away from the traditional plugin repository.

Paid Memberships Pro Begins Self-Hosting

Paid Memberships Pro, a popular plugin serving membership and subscription-based sites, has also opted to self-host its free plugin version. Jason Coleman, CEO of Paid Memberships Pro, revealed that version 3.3 and future releases will now be distributed through the plugin’s license server, not WordPress.org. While Paid Memberships Pro has long self-hosted its premium plugins, this move signals a shift for their free plugin distribution as well.

“Our core plugin remains free, and users will still be able to update it for free, but we are now delivering these updates ourselves,” Coleman stated, emphasizing that the plugin will continue to be available independently on their server. He hinted that recent events had sped up their decision to fully self-host, though it had been in the works for over a year.

The withdrawal of these plugins has its roots in the ACF controversy, which involved a fork of the popular Advanced Custom Fields plugin that led to debates over WordPress.org’s handling of intellectual property and plugin governance. Critics argue that the handling of ACF has spotlighted underlying issues within WordPress.org’s structure and left developers questioning how much control they truly have over their creations once hosted on the platform.

Many developers expressed concerns about WordPress.org’s policies, especially regarding the ability to control and protect plugin branding and autonomy. Developers worry that WordPress.org’s decisions may override the interests of the plugin authors, potentially impacting users and damaging developers’ reputations.

A Growing Trend of Developer Independence

With Gravity PDF, BE Media from Production, and Paid Memberships Pro leading the charge, the recent exodus raises questions about the future of WordPress plugin distribution and whether other developers may follow suit. The shift toward self-hosting plugins may indicate a larger trend among developers seeking greater control over their products outside the traditional WordPress ecosystem.

While Automattic and WordPress.org have argued that the repository provides visibility to millions of users, developers are growing wary of what they see as a lack of transparency and control. This trend toward self-hosting offers developers independence and the ability to directly communicate updates, feedback, and support without intermediaries, potentially reshaping WordPress’s community and structure.

The controversy remains unresolved, but as developers continue to pull plugins from WordPress.org, the move highlights ongoing challenges within WordPress’s open-source ecosystem. Only time will tell if more developers choose to self-host, pushing for a decentralized plugin landscape that values developer autonomy and user choice.