Automattic, the owner of WordPress.com, has acquired Harper, a grammar and language tool competitor to Grammarly, aimed at developers and open source communities. Harper's unique selling point is its ability to process checks locally on devices, ensuring user privacy.

The acquisition plans to integrate Harper's capabilities across Automattic's products, including WordPress.com, WooCommerce, and Jetpack. Harper's tool is touted to offer grammar and language suggestions in under 20 milliseconds, significantly faster than its popular competitor.

The deal terms remain undisclosed, but Harper's founder will join Automattic's team to spearhead the integration efforts. This acquisition comes at a time when Automattic is embroiled in a legal battle with WP Engine, a WordPress hosting provider, over trademark and open source project contributions.