Automattic Pauses Tumblr-to-WordPress Migration Plans
▼ Summary
– Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg confirmed Tumblr’s migration to WordPress is indefinitely “on hold” to prioritize user-requested features.
– The migration was initially intended as an infrastructure upgrade but is now deprioritized for more noticeable user improvements.
– The decision delays Tumblr’s potential integration with the fediverse, a decentralized social web, though it could still be implemented separately.
– Mullenweg acknowledged the fediverse integration was a motivation for the migration but is no longer a current focus.
– Tumblr remains unprofitable but is supported by Automattic’s other products, with Mullenweg expressing confidence in its future.
Automattic has temporarily shelved plans to migrate Tumblr’s infrastructure to WordPress, according to CEO Matt Mullenweg. The decision, revealed during a recent podcast interview, marks a shift in priorities as the company focuses on user-facing improvements rather than backend restructuring.
Mullenweg explained that while the migration would have streamlined operations, it currently takes a backseat to features that directly impact Tumblr’s community. “We want to prioritize what users notice and request,” he stated, emphasizing that the technical overhaul remains a long-term goal but isn’t actively in development.
The pause also leaves uncertainty around Tumblr’s role in the fediverse, the decentralized social web. A move to WordPress would have automatically integrated Tumblr into this ecosystem, but Mullenweg suggested alternative approaches could achieve the same goal without requiring a full platform migration.
Despite ongoing financial challenges, Tumblr still operates at a loss, subsidized by Automattic’s other ventures, Mullenweg expressed confidence in the platform’s potential. He reaffirmed a commitment to giving Tumblr time and resources to evolve, though without specifying a revised timeline for major structural changes.
(Source: TechCrunch)
