A California district court judge has granted a preliminary injunction to WP Engine, ordering Automattic and WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg to restore WP Engine's access to WordPress.org, a WordPress theme and plug-in repository site owned by Mullenweg. The order comes after Mullenweg banned WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org on September 25, following remarks he made at an event, calling WP Engine "cancer to WordPress."

The ban not only restricted WP Engine's access to WordPress.org but also prevented the company from updating its popular Advanced Custom Field (ACF) plug-in. In response, Automattic took control of the plug-in, forked it, and named it Secure Custom Fields (SCF). The court has ordered Automattic to restore WP Engine's access and control of ACF on WordPress.org.

The court's order also notes that Automattic should remove the list of customers in the "domains.csv" file linked to customers of WP Engine on the site WordPressenginetracker.com. This site was created by WP Engine to track the number of customers who have stopped using their services since the feud began in September.

Furthermore, the order asks Automattic and Mullenweg to remove the checkbox on the WordPress.org login page that asks developers to disclose if they were affiliated with WP Engine "in any way, financially or otherwise." This checkbox was introduced on October 8.

The judge has ordered Automattic and Mullenweg to execute these steps within 72 hours. In response, Automattic stated that it will continue to fight the case against WP Engine, calling the ruling a "preliminary order designed to maintain the status quo" and stating that it was made without the benefit of discovery, their motion to dismiss, or the counterclaims they will be filing against WP Engine shortly.

On the other hand, WP Engine welcomed the court's order, stating that it will bring back much-needed stability and security to the WordPress ecosystem. A spokesperson for WP Engine said, "We thank the Court for granting our request for a preliminary injunction. The order will bring back much-needed stability and security to the WordPress ecosystem. WP Engine is focused on serving our partners and customers and working with the community to find ways to ensure a vigorous and thriving WordPress community."

This ongoing saga between Automattic-Mullenweg and WP Engine has raised questions about the open-source nature and stability of the WordPress community. It has also sparked discussions about what a fair contribution to an open-source project is, as Mullenweg had accused WP Engine of not participating enough for the betterment of WordPress as a technology.

The implications of this court order are significant, as it highlights the importance of maintaining a fair and open environment within the WordPress ecosystem. The ongoing feud between Automattic-Mullenweg and WP Engine has brought to the forefront the need for a more collaborative approach to ensure the continued growth and development of WordPress.

As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how this court order will impact the WordPress community and the future of WordPress development. One thing is certain, however - the need for a more collaborative and open approach to ensure the continued growth and development of WordPress is more pressing than ever.