WordPress.com owner Automattic has introduced Spacefast, a new service for deploying vibe-coded websites and apps as the web changes. The product provides infrastructure for those projects, and it is designed to help turn them into functional websites, apps, or services.
How Spacefast is built to work
Spacefast supplies databases, authentication, file uploads, emails, and analytics for vibe-coded apps. It also lets users connect outside tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Hermes, OpenClaw, Grokbot, Muse, Pi, Cursor, Opencode, and Amp. Users can also start by connecting a Git repository.
The product is pitched as a more open alternative to services from Lovable and Emergent, which bundle both the interface and the rails for vibe-coded apps. Automattic also says the service can be extended with web analytics, WordPress integration, and e-commerce features through WooCommerce.
From hackathon idea to launch
Batuhan İçöz heads the product. He worked on it during one of Automattic’s hackathon sprints earlier in the year, while also working on the company’s cross-platform messaging app Beeper. He said he kept getting Vercel links from non-technical friends as they explored vibe coding.
In a call with TechCrunch, İçöz said he thought there had to be a better way for people to set up and deploy projects. He said Automattic already had good infrastructure, but the company had been mostly associated with WordPress. He also said he wondered why he should use Cloudflare when Automattic already had a CDN that was just as good. The product was first called Stattic before becoming Spacefast.
Automattic soft-launched the service in September to gather feedback before the wider launch. İçöz said he shared the solution with friends and added more features to make it more dynamic.
Early use cases and competing products
Automattic has seen people and organizations use the product for internal mockups, slideshows, and offer-related websites. Spacefast also competes with productivity and design tools such as Figma, Canva, and Notion, which have launched products that sit between vibe coding, mockups, and presentations.
İçöz said Spacefast’s advantage over something like Lovable is that it gives users a choice of agent and lets them use the solution their own way. He also acknowledged the counterpoint that some users may prefer a system that handles everything without requiring choices.
Why enterprises are part of the pitch
Spacefast is also being positioned as a fit for enterprises that want to reduce IT sprawl. İçöz pointed to marketing teams building landing pages on services like Lovable and said those companies may want to consolidate and work with a provider that understands enterprise needs. He said Automattic already has experience serving enterprise customers through its existing products.
The launch comes as websites and publishers struggle with traffic declines tied to AI chatbots and summaries. İçöz said people are now building websites with ChatGPT or Claude rather than deploying something on WordPress, and he said some sites may not need a content management system at all as the web expands. He also said he expects users to churn after launch because they may not be interested in making apps at all, and he wants Spacefast to make building something so easy and the results so much better that people keep using it.
Automattic’s recent turbulence
Spacefast arrives during a difficult stretch for Automattic. In a saga compared to OpenAI and Sam Altman, the company’s board forced CEO Matt Mullenweg out, but he returned to control within days. The rebel board was later replaced, and the interim CFO left within weeks of appointment. In October, TechCrunch reported that Automattic had begun layoffs across several properties, with more cuts expected.
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