How Does Automattic vs WP Engine Impact Freelancers?

The legal battle between Automattic and WP Engine has dominated the discourse in the WordPress community. Its many twists and turns seem to have us all talking – and perhaps a bit stressed.

Freelancers and small agencies may feel it more than most. Many of us depend on WordPress and some have built their businesses around the software. The sort of bad vibes we’re seeing isn’t exactly a confidence booster.

To describe the tumult in a word: uncertainty. We don’t know what’s coming next. That makes it hard to commit to the next project, let alone a long-term investment in a platform.

It’s an uncomfortable subject, for sure. But it’s also a necessary topic of discussion. Freelancers are a key part of the WordPress community. We play an important role in spreading the word and increasing adoption.

With that in mind, let’s examine how this case impacts WordPress freelancers. Are we doomed? Or is the whole thing overblown? Maybe it’s all about what we make it.

Added Weight in Choosing Web Hosts and Plugins

Picking the right web hosting and plugins for client projects is always challenging. Both require a commitment and are a hassle to change if something goes wrong.

There’s an extra nervousness in using products directly impacted by Automattic vs. WP Engine. The recent “fork” of Advanced Custom Fields is a prime example.

Those heavily invested in the plugin must wonder what the future holds. Will everything continue to work? What about all those hours spent building functionality with the plugin – will it all be for nothing? Hopefully, that’s not the case. But it’s hard not to think of the possibility.

The uncertainty goes beyond products owned by WP Engine. What if another company becomes a target? WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg has downplayed that possibility.

“This is a rare and unusual situation brought on by WP Engine’s legal attacks, we do not anticipate this happening for other plugins.”

Matt Mullenweg in “Secure Custom Fields“

However, a precedent has been set. There’s nothing that says that this couldn’t happen again. It’s unsettling at the very least.

Hosting is just as uncertain. A disruption in accessing updates could impede our workflow. It’s bad enough to update one site manually; imagine trying it with dozens or hundreds of them.

Mitigating risk is an important part of working with clients. Recent events make this harder for freelancers. Thus, we must scrutinize every decision that much more.

Dealing with Concerned Clients

Not every client knows or cares about the inner politics of WordPress. Perhaps most of them have no idea what’s going on. However, mainstream media has begun to cover this case, which will lead to questions and concerns.

Our clients can’t afford instability. The more this story develops, the more unstable WordPress appears – even if that’s not the reality.

Thus, it’s up to us to try to put clients at ease. The difficult part for freelancers is not having definitive answers. We can’t predict the future impact on the platform or its ecosystem. All we can do is provide the facts of the present – and they’re changing rapidly.

It may cause some clients to consider alternatives. That’s not good news for freelancers who have built their businesses around WordPress. We may need to look at other content management systems (CMS) or risk losing a client.

New projects may also be more difficult to sell. The perceived chaos could make it seem like it’s not the right time to jump on the WordPress bandwagon. We can’t necessarily explain it away as a temporary issue.

The reality is that we’re stuck in the middle of a fight that doesn’t involve us. That’s an uncomfortable place to be. And it could impact our ability to conduct business as usual.

Contemplating Our Place in the WordPress Community

There’s also a mental toll to this case and how it has played out in public. It’s a sign of how little control we have.

Maybe it’s not the first time some of us have felt this way. Leadership’s decisions on things like new features have caused frustration. But our confidence in the daily workings of WordPress wasn’t in much doubt.

What we have now is a whole new ball of wax. Plugin takeovers, contributors quitting or being banned, plugin authors moving their products away from WordPress.org – it’s all stressful. And the pace of these changes has only made things worse.

Suddenly the thing we rely on doesn’t seem so reliable and has fractured parts of the community. People are arguing about who’s angrier or not angry enough. It’s enough to make you question your place in the community.

The easy advice is to tune out the noise and keep working. It’s also easier said than done. Taking a hiatus from social media is possible. However, reminders of this case even show up in the WordPress dashboard.

Perhaps the better course is to acknowledge this lack of control. Accept that some things are beyond our grasp. And to find solace in things outside of WordPress.

What about the decision of whether to stick with WordPress? That’s up to each of us to figure out.

Do what’s best for your mental and financial well-being. Do what makes the most sense for your clients. Consider the short and long-term impacts. Each should play a role in your decision-making.

Learning to Navigate These Stormy Waters

Some of us may feel like the sky is falling. We’re worried about our businesses and how we’ll be impacted by the actions of others. It’s only natural to be concerned.

More than anything, it shows how much people care about WordPress. None of us wants the software or community to struggle. There’s one point most everyone can agree on.

For its part, WordPress continues to progress toward the next version. Some contributors may have said goodbye. However, the software moves on.

As freelancers, our job remains the same. It’s about doing our best to serve clients. We must also put ourselves in the best position to succeed. And that may look different for each of us.

Still, current events are making our job harder. It’s another challenge in an already difficult career path.

So, what can we do? Pay attention (or not) to what’s going on. Make your voice heard (or not). Those are decisions you can control.

The good news is that freelancers are uniquely equipped to handle such situations. Our success depends on the ability to change with the times.

In that way, this case is just another obstacle to get past. It won’t be easy – but it’s what we do.