A WordPress developer posts code on Matt Mullenweg’s web hosting platform that prevents themes and plugins from activating.
A well-known WordPress plugin developer who has produced more than thirty free plugins has made code available for other plugin and theme developers to use to prevent users from accessing them on Matt Mullenweg’s WordPress.com commercial web hosting platform.
The Functions of the Plugin and Theme Code
The plugin was developed so that other theme and plugin developers could stop WordPress.com-hosted websites from activating or using them. The code determines whether it is being used in the WordPress.com environment, and if it is, the plugin notifies users that the functionality is blocked. The developer who created the code explains exactly how it works and walks plugins and theme makers through the code.
It does three main things:
- Environment Detection
- Plugin Deactivation
- Admin Context Only (deactivates it on the admin side)
Reason For Creating The Code
Robert DeVore, the developer who created the code, explained in a tweet that it’s a way to flip the bird at Matt, a way to send a statement to Matt Mullenweg expressing disapproval for his actions, specifically the leadership “overreach.”
The code is available on his website here:
How to Stop Your Plugins & Themes from Being Used on WordPress.com Hosting
