WordPress developer Automatic revamps, open-sources the hosting service

WordPress creator created an app that rewrites and open-sources the web hosting service provider.

In an interview with Venture Beat, Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of WordPress developer Automatic, said the changes will bring a new and faster WordPress and that there would be an app Mac users can put on their desktops. Its Windows and Linux counterparts are still under development and will be available very soon. He said they redid 13 years of work in just 20 months to replace PHP with JavaScript.

According to The Register, Automatic revealed Monday the existence of Calypso, which is the code name for the overhaul. It aims to help the web hosting platform keep up with the rapid changing online environment by having faster browser rendering, being available in mobile devices, and go open-source with its partners.

Tech Spot reported that the admin design now looks minimalistic and modern. This will make it easier for CMS users to navigate through the platform. Mullenweg said they came up with the idea of the new interface because of the "backward compatibility and working without JavaScript." WordPress is running 25 percent of the websites online. As companies become bigger, it is easier for them to falter, and Calypso is a tool that will hopefully help them prevent that downfall.

"So I think what might happen is that the technology that drives the server side of WordPress and what drives the client side can diverge. Again, this is really up to the community, so we'll see where it takes us. This thing we released has only been out there one day," said Mullenweg. "Maybe someone will make something much better. But PHP is still really fantastic for server-side stuff, so it drives the API fantastically."

According to Automatic, Calypso is social. It has stats, notifications, and likes. Automatic has also acquired Cloudup, which is a file sharing tool that is based on API and runs on JavaScript.