this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2024
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Programming
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Can you use the WordPress software without the WordPress servers?
Of course. You can host Wordpress just about anywhere that offers a recent enough version of php and access to a database
Then why does WP engine need access to this specific database?
Because Wordpress is also hosting 1000s of plugins that WP engine users can install.
I'm not sure what the license regarding those things is, WP engine could probably just mirror it -
But they basically got locked out of the default ecosystem infrastructure.
I feel like mirroring the plugins would resolve this issue, since the argument seems to be centered on server costs.
The argument centering on server costs would be logical, but the actual legal battle going on, and Mullenweg's stated justification behind asking for 8% of WPEngine profit, is claims of misuse of copyrighted names.
Meanwhile the WordPress license explicitly cedes copyright over the name WordPress and the initialism WP.
Not easily, honestly.
WordPress on its own is very bare bones, you're almost certainly going to want to install plugins, which by default can only be done from the builtin connection to WP servers.
WP without plugins doesn't even have basic things like gallery light boxes. Honestly it seems deliberate, since the easiest way to get a lot of basic features that should be in core is to install the automattic(the company that owns wordpress) jetpack extension, that also installs a bunch of data harvesting connections to their proprietary SaaS.
Very easily, actually.
The LAMP/LEMP stack has been the standard for literally decades. Any typical shared web hosting by default uses the LAMP stack with CPanel management. And CPanel has the Softalicious software installer which has had a WordPress auto installer for a very long time.
You completely missed that I was talking about installing plugins.
No, I didn't. I just ignored it because it's not a very good point or relevant to the question.
You are completely missing their point. The plugin repo and updates are hardcoded to use WordPress's servers, that's the issue here. Yes, you can totally self host WordPress, you don't need something like cpanel (in fact, I don't see how it's relevant to this discussion, and I think the last time I used that archaic backend was in 2015), but if you want access to the plugin repo + automated plugin updates, you are unfortunately impacted by this BS.
Why be rude to people who are just trying to explain the issue to you?
Ah yeah I definitely misunderstood the question of the comment they were replying to. I only brought up CPanel because it's extremely pervasive and is an example of how easy it is to host WordPress.
On the flip side, you can upload plugins to install them and the plugins can be coded to use different servers for automatic updates. In fact, the most popular platform to buy paid plugins and themes, Envato, has a plugin to facilitate updates which don't use the WP.org repo servers.
Honestly, the plugin repo and "click to update" system is one of the biggest problems with the WP ecosystem. Since the vast majority of plugins and themes are horribly made and run by idiots, it's very often that updates will break sites outright. That's why I disable it for client accounts.
Sorry I came off as rude. It was just a misunderstanding.
Can only be done by default ... also means there are other options.
Matt disappoints but their plugin repository isn't a vendor lock in like Apple denying other app stores (without acts enforcing it etc).
I'm not aware of any method to add a third party plugin repository. (Is the software that runs the plugin repository even open source?)
I don't know, but I guess the reason why it isn't done yet is because nobody perceives it as a problem. It would require a repository plugin to install plugins I think. But it all comes down to plugin distribution and deployment. Mostly if you want something outside the default repository you can just upload it to your own install / stack. If a developer provide alternative download ways. Like a github release for example.