If you're a WordPress site owner, you might be aware that the community is facing some turmoil. For our clients at Flywheel Strategic, this is especially relevant since we leverage services from WP Engine—a key player in this conflict. Most of our WordPress clients are hosted on WP Engine, and we frequently use the "Advanced Custom Fields" (ACF) plugin, also owned by WP Engine. The ongoing tension between WordPress and WP Engine has raised concerns among site owners, developers, and the larger open-source community. This blog post aims to clarify some major points of the conflict, specifically around ACF, and offer practical guidance for managing the changes.
Note: Flywheel Strategic is not affiliated with WP Engine’s subsidiary, Flywheel.
What Happened?
The core issue stems from a public disagreement between WP Engine, which acquired ACF in 2022, and Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress and Automattic.
The conflict has roots in larger tensions about control within the WordPress ecosystem. Mullenweg has long championed ideals of WordPress as a truly open-source platform, free from centralized corporate control. But as WordPress’s influence on the web grew, so did corporate interest, with large companies acquiring plugins and hosting solutions that have been successfully commercialized.
WP Engine, a managed WordPress hosting provider, has been a significant player in this shift. Its acquisition of ACF and other popular plugins in 2022 positioned WP Engine as one of the more commercially successful WordPress companies, which Mullenweg viewed critically. The disagreement turned public when Mullenweg blocked WP Engine’s updates on WordPress.org, meaning WP Engine-hosted sites couldn’t update plugins from the official WordPress directory. This led WP Engine to establish its own system for plugin and theme updates. Update service for WP Engine clients now continues.
The situation escalated further around ACF, a widely used plugin. Referencing a security vulnerability, Mullenweg made the controversial decision to “fork” the ACF plugin on WordPress.org, replacing it with a new plugin called Secure Custom Fields (SCF). For users not hosted on WP Engine, this automatic replacement created confusion and disrupted site functionality.
Who Is Affected by the replacement of ACF with SCF?
- WP Engine Users: If you host with WP Engine, there’s no cause for immediate concern. WP Engine maintains its own version of ACF, ensuring updates continue without issue.
Non-WP Engine Users: For those hosting their sites outside WP Engine, the impact is more significant. Since ACF is no longer available through WordPress.org, users who updated plugins after October 12 likely saw ACF replaced by SCF, which may have caused functional changes or disruptions.
Steps to Take if Your Site Was Affected
For non-WP Engine users who wish to continue using ACF, it remains available directly through its website. Here’s a quick guide on what to do:
- Restore ACF: Manually install ACF from the official site if SCF replaced it on your site.
- Future Updates: Once ACF is installed, it will update independently from WordPress.org, reducing future conflicts or unanticipated changes.
- Consider Alternatives: If you’re open to exploring SCF, familiarize yourself with its functionality and any distinctions from ACF.
The Bigger Picture
This situation reveals a broader challenge in the open-source community, particularly within WordPress’s unique structure. Although WordPress and its plugins are open-source, many of its most popular plugins are owned by large corporations, often backed by venture capital funding. This duality—balancing community-driven ideals with the objectives of for-profit stakeholders—can sometimes create conflicts, as seen here.
In fact, the ideological differences in this dispute highlight the need for users to actively manage their site assets. Despite the open-source ethos, the realities of corporate influence mean that users may need to stay vigilant about changes to plugins and software they rely on.
A Final Word on Open Source
As with many technological advancements, open-source platforms democratize access, drive innovation, and encourage community support. However, this situation is a good reminder that “open-source” doesn’t necessarily mean “non-profit.” It’s essential for users—especially smaller organizations like non-profits and grassroots groups—to monitor developments closely, seek expert guidance, and prioritize risk management.
Recommendation for our Clients
For anyone navigating this change, Flywheel Strategic is available to provide further guidance and support on the best path forward. If you are already working with Flywheel Strategic, feel free to confirm your situation with us if you haven't already. We are continuing to help keep our clients' websites up-to-date using ACF and services from WP Engine where applicable.