Nurturing TYPO3: Insights from WordPress Conflicts

Recently, we’ve seen other open-source communities face internal challenges, like the WordPress ecosystem, where a conflict between Automattic and WP Engine sparked debates about contribution ethics. It highlighted a crucial question: Are agencies genuinely giving back to the communities that support their success, or are they simply reaping the rewards without reinvesting? How should open-source leaders respond to such conflicts? Rather than taking sides, let’s explore these important issues together.

The founder of WordPress – Matt Mullenweg’s keynote at WordCamp US 2024 sparked a critical conversation. He raised concerns about companies like WP Engine benefiting from the WordPress ecosystem without giving back enough—a question of open-source ethics that escalated quickly. WP Engine issued a cease and desist, and Automattic responded by banning them from wp.org.

Matt’s philosophy of “Ecosystem Thinking” emphasizes that success in open-source isn’t just personal; it’s shared. His idea of nourishing the community like a garden, ensuring everyone thrives, feels more relevant than ever.

“Nourishing is the trickiest and most important part—it’s like watering the garden. If you’ve completed the first three steps, you’ve found success; now it’s your responsibility to share the fruits of your efforts across the ecosystem so that everyone can thrive together. This is the philosophy behind Five for the Future, and you’re going to see us emphasize it even more moving forward.”
- Matt Mullenweg

It’s clear that individuals and companies making millions from open-source should give back to the community—that’s a fundamental truth.

There’s also the important question of how OpenSource community founders and representatives should navigate critical situations like the one unfolding in WordPress. The ultimate goal must be to protect the beloved open-source platforms that millions rely on. The success of WordPress in the PHP community is extraordinary, holding over 45% of the open-source CMS market.

Many are picking sides, but what stands out to me is Matt’s call for transparency and accountability in contributions. This isn’t just about WP Engine vs. Automattic—it’s a moment for all of us in the OpenSource ecosystem to evaluate how we give back.

While we haven’t faced similar controversies within the TYPO3 community, it’s a good time for us to pause and reflect: Are we contributing enough? How can we do more to nurture the platform that has played such a vital role in our success?

Maybe this is our wake-up call—to ensure we’re all contributing to the future of OpenSource.

At T3Planet, a thriving community is the backbone of any open-source CMS. TYPO3 has given us so much—a powerful, flexible CMS that we’ve used to build countless successful digital experiences for clients worldwide. However, we’re also aware that the true strength of TYPO3 lies in the collective effort of contributors, agencies, and enthusiasts who give their time, knowledge, and resources to keep this ecosystem growing.

After reading this, I’ve found myself reflecting: “Is our TYPO3 agency doing enough to support and nurture the TYPO3 ecosystem?”

Over the past 15 years, we’ve made some valuable contributions, but as I review them, I can’t help but wonder: Are we doing good? Yes. Are we doing enough? Probably not.

We want to reaffirm our dedication to supporting TYPO3. Over the years, T3Planet has been more than just a user of TYPO3—we’ve actively participated in the community by:

• Our contributions as a Silver/Gold Member of the TYPO3 Association.
• More than 50+ free OpenSource TYPO3 extensions are published and maintained on the TYPO3 Extension Repository (TER).
• Creating over 300+ blogs focused on TYPO3 education and awareness.
• We have monthly more than 30,000 TYPO3 users reading the TYPO3 educational blogs.
• We have sponsored and supported about 10+ various TYPO3 events.
• We organized 5 TYPO3 events.
• We have 3 teams actively participating in official TYPO3 teams.
• We drive new ideas and promote awareness of TYPO3.

But like all growing companies, we sometimes need to revisit our commitment to giving back. That’s why we’re taking the opportunity now to strengthen our contributions even further.

So, here’s how we’re stepping up:
Continue creating educational TYPO3 blogs, developing and maintaining open-source extensions, and more.

• We will stay a Gold Member of the TYPO3 Association.
• In 2025 we have planned to sponsor TYPO3 events to show our support.
• We’re pledging 40 Hours/Month to help with official TYPO3 teams.
• We will contribute 16 Hours/Month to the TYPO3 core.
• We are planning to organise 2 TYPO3 events in 2025.
• Announcing a few more innovations and exciting things will happen in TYPO3 2025.

I’m encouraging myself and my team to prioritize genuine contribution over blame or finger-pointing. What truly matters in this situation is that the TYPO3 ecosystem and the spirit of contribution emerge even stronger.

This isn’t about checking off boxes or making token contributions. It’s about truly engaging with the community that has enabled our success and giving back in a meaningful way. Our mission is to be a responsible TYPO3 agency that supports the platform’s growth and stability, not just for our own business, but for everyone in the TYPO3 ecosystem.

We want to encourage other TYPO3 agencies, freelancers, and users to think about how they can contribute too. The TYPO3 community has always been known for its friendliness, collaboration, and openness. By working together, we can keep that spirit alive and ensure TYPO3 remains strong for many years to come.

A Message for the Community and our fellow TYPO3 enthusiasts: Let’s continue building, sharing, and supporting each other. We all have a role to play in the success of TYPO3. Whether you contribute through code, documentation, design, or simply by helping others, every bit counts.

Let’s make future years strong by doubling down on our support for TYPO3 and showing the world what a united and thriving community can achieve.

T3Planet: Proud to Support TYPO3, Today and Always