An official WordPress.org social media account was used to troll the open supply motion to decentralize the WordPress plugins and themes repository, creating what some really feel was an undignified, even “infantile”, illustration of the WordPress neighborhood.

What Is The FAIR Undertaking?

The Federated And Unbiased Repositories challenge is an open-source initiative that was launched in 2025 in response to actions by Matt Mullenweg and Automattic that uncovered a weak point in how plugins and themes are distributed to WordPress websites. The challenge was initiated after Mullenweg minimize off WP Engine from updating their plugins, disrupting the correct functioning of 1000’s of internet sites.

The FAIR objective of the FAIR challenge is to decentralize the distribution of WordPress plugins and themes to guard towards one individual from disrupting the free distribution of software program.

FAIR is backed by open supply big Linux, introduced in June 2025. The official announcement defined that the aim of FAIR is to create a “vendor-neutral” technique for distributing WordPress software program inside a trusted surroundings, writing:

“Vendor-neutral bundle administration for content material administration methods like WordPress gives essential common infrastructure that addresses the brand new realities of content material, e-commerce and AI.

The FAIR Bundle Supervisor challenge helps make plugins and instruments extra discoverable and lets builders select the place to supply these plugins relying on the wants of their provide chain. By giving business plugin builders, hosts, and utility builders extra choices to regulate the instruments they depend on, the FAIR Bundle Supervisor challenge promotes innovation and protects enterprise continuity.”

What Prompted An Challenge With FAIR?

A WordPress person not too long ago skilled a brief drawback updating their web site utilizing the FAIR repository, forcing them to manually SFTP the software program updates to their server.

They posted on X:

“Right here I’m updating one in every of my websites for the brand new 12 months, and it seems to be like FAIR broke my plugin and theme updates.”

After updating their website they returned to X with more thoughts about their expertise with FAIR:

“Glad this was only a “for enjoyable” website and never one thing essential. I like experimenting with stuff within the WordPress ecosystem, however this can be a bit too experimental for my style. Going again to inventory updates, at the least till 2.0.

…That is making me rethink how I set up my domains and websites. Ought to in all probability simply arrange a sandbox for issues like this, however then once more… the squeaky wheel will get the grease. If it’s all locked away in a sandbox, I’ll overlook to ever contact it.”

There was a difficulty with an replace to FAIR model 1.2.2. In response to the release notes:

“FAIR Join 1.2.2 Launch Announcement

Model 1.2.2 of FAIR Join is a quick observe as much as our model 1.2.1 launch. This launch fixes a deadly error launched in 1.2.1 that impacts the updating course of.

In the event you beforehand up to date to 1.2.1, you will have to carry out this replace manually.”

So apparently there’s a difficulty with updating the FAIR Join plugin which requires manually deactivating the FAIR Join plugin, downloading the up to date model of the plugin from the FAIR repository, then manually importing the plugin from the WordPress admin plugin dashboard (except the location is unavailable, which necessitates SFTP’ing the up to date plugin).

WordPress Trolls The FAIR Undertaking

The official WordPress.org X account posted the next remark concerning the FAIR challenge:

“Seems to be just like the Federated and Unbiased Repository challenge goes nice. That is clearly going to rock the WordPress world. We don’t know the way we’ll proceed with out these contributors. Perhaps they want some REST.”

The put up was extremely uncommon for the WordPress X account as a result of it’s usually a feel-good vacation spot of bulletins and inspiration associated to WordPress. The unprofessional tone of the put up caught many within the WordPress neighborhood abruptly.

One individual shared their disappointment:

“Hello Matt! These feedback aren’t clearly going to rock the ambiance in our neighborhood too. So, http://WP.org by no means had points?”

RapidLightnings responded:

“These folks working at or for WordPress are so infantile and unprofessional. Skilled folks wouldn’t care or wouldn’t put up stuff like that on official accounts.”

Responses Hidden By WordPress

There have been further responses that have been hidden by WordPress:

Like this by o_be_one:

“For an OpenSource challenge, your take is poisonous af.”

Rohan Okay called the post by the official WordPress account immature:

“Rising pains. Why are you gleefully gloating about this, when your immature and short-sighted actions led the creation of it? It makes you look unhealthy.

Develop up.”

Aron Prins posted a one-word response:

“Ewww”

Thisbit commented on the way it displays poorly on the WordPress management:

“Shameful management.”

Jono Alderson reflected on the childishness of the tweet:

“Oh hush. Your misuse of this account for sniping is infantile and tedious. Be higher.”

Different posts have been directed at Matt Mullenweg, with this one prematurely dancing on WordPress’s grave:

“SO HAPPY that AI is ending WordPress for good.
Ciao CattyMatty”

And this one:

“I’d say get a clue, however you’d in all probability steal it from one other developer.”

Jono Alderson’s Response

Alderson began a brand new dialogue to precise his opinion concerning the WordPress troll-post:

“I really like WordPress-the-software, however this sort of infantile nonsense makes me ashamed and embarrassed to be related to WordPress-the-brand. What infantile, petty, unprofessional, shameful, newbie nonsense. All of those folks want firing and changing with succesful grown-ups.”

The responses to Jono’s put up typically expressed disappointment that the official WordPress account was used for trolling, with one individual responding that it appeared loopy.

Featured Picture by Shutterstock/AYO Manufacturing


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