Why WordPress.org Blocked the Advanced Custom Fields Plugin by WP Engine?

Recently, the WordPress community was surprised to learn that Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), one of the most popular plugins for managing custom fields, was temporarily blocked from the official WordPress.org repository. This move sparked discussions and concerns among developers and users who have relied on ACF for years. What exactly went wrong, and why did WordPress.org take such drastic measures? Let’s dive into the details of this situation.

Background: WP Engine’s Acquisition of ACF

In 2021, WP Engine acquired ACF, a move that was expected to bring benefits in terms of further plugin development and better integration with WP Engine’s ecosystem. For years, ACF thrived under its creator, Elliot Condon, and became one of the most reliable tools in the WordPress development world. After the acquisition, WP Engine started introducing changes, most of which went unnoticed or didn’t raise significant concerns.

Why Was ACF Blocked?

The issues began when WordPress.org determined that ACF violated certain licensing guidelines. WP Engine made modifications to the plugin that were not fully compliant with the GPL (General Public License), which is a requirement for all plugins hosted in the WordPress.org repository. The GPL license ensures that all code remains open, allowing users to freely modify and redistribute it.

The main problem arose when WP Engine introduced features that integrated ACF with external WP Engine services in a way that seemed to infringe on the open nature of GPL. Some of these features were geared toward users of WP Engine’s paid services, raising concerns that WP Engine was trying to “close off” parts of the plugin’s code.

WordPress.org’s Response

In response to these concerns, WordPress.org decided to temporarily remove ACF from the repository until WP Engine could address the licensing issues and ensure the plugin’s compliance with the community’s guidelines. Such a move by WordPress.org is relatively rare, but necessary to maintain the core values of the open-source ecosystem that WordPress relies on.

WP Engine and Community Reactions

WP Engine quickly responded to WordPress.org’s actions, assuring users that they were working to resolve the issue and restore ACF to the repository. The company emphasized that they respect the GPL license and did not intend to violate it in any way.

The community’s response, however, was mixed. Some ACF users expressed concerns about the plugin’s future under WP Engine’s ownership, fearing that the company might increasingly commercialize its features. Others remained more optimistic, trusting that the problem would be resolved quickly and that ACF would return to the repository without significant changes to its functionality.

What’s Next?

As of now, ACF remains available for download and use, but not from the official WordPress.org repository. Users who already have the plugin installed can continue to use it without interruption, and WP Engine has committed to releasing an update that will address the licensing issue.

For WordPress developers, this situation serves as an important reminder that while the open-source ecosystem offers flexibility and collaboration, it also requires strict adherence to licensing rules. Any deviation from these guidelines can lead to significant consequences, as seen in the case of ACF.

Conclusion

The blocking of ACF from the WordPress.org repository has stirred up discussions within the WordPress community and serves as a cautionary tale for developers to pay close attention to licensing when working on their projects. Hopefully, WP Engine will resolve the issue quickly, and ACF will soon be back in the repository where it belongs.