WordPress has long been the most widely used content management system (CMS). It has held roughly 40% of the market share over the years, depending on the chosen metric. Full disclosure, it also happens to be an app I use and make a living from.
Such popularity makes WordPress a target. Much like Microsoft Windows, it’s a juicy target for hackers looking to wreak havoc. You’ll also find plenty of software developers who want to build the “WordPress killer” – the app that knocks the longstanding royalty off its throne.
Cloudflare recently entered that space with EmDash, a CMS it calls a “spiritual successor” to WordPress. It’s a bold statement, to say the least. And it’s backed up by an eerily similar user experience.
I’m a longtime WordPress user, and I count myself as a member of its global community. A lot of us feel a sense of ownership, even if we have a limited say in the project’s direction. But WordPress is ours (and yours, and theirs, and everyone else’s too).
The natural reaction is one of derision. We can take issue with the hubris of a large company like Cloudflare attempting to put a dent in the CMS market. We might wonder exactly how they’ll foster a community and ecosystem anywhere near what WordPress has achieved in 20+ years. We could make light of the whole thing or just hurl insults. But why?
Competition can be a wonderful thing if you’re willing to look yourself in the face. Cloudflare’s introductory statement mentions that “WordPress’ plugin architecture is fundamentally insecure”, and claims to have a better way to prevent security issues. They also claim better performance and lots of AI entanglement integration.
It’s easy to feel somewhat insulted or amused by such statements. Again, defenders of the “W” feel called to action. I get it.
On the contrary, I suggest we use this as a learning opportunity. It’s not about what Cloudflare or any other entity says or does. It’s about how we can make WordPress better.
All software has shortcomings, no matter its age. WordPress has its fair share of them, for sure. But there’s a chance to address them while continuing to move forward with new features. Project leadership can work with the community to find solutions that benefit everyone.
If competition is a call to action, it should be a wake-up call to improve. That’s a positive result – one I hope comes to fruition. It’s up to us!
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