Each project operates within an environment Automattic calls a Space, powered by the company's existing wp.cloud infrastructure. A WordPress installation runs behind every Space, managing essential backend functions without requiring users to interact with WordPress directly. This approach allows Automattic to use its established technology while offering a development experience that does not resemble a traditional content management system.
Spacefast also supports connections to AI assistants and development tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and other agents. Users can publish projects through supported integrations or connect an existing Git repository. Git-based version control tracks changes, while rapid deployment capabilities allow updated applications to be published quickly.
The platform removes another common setup requirement by allowing users to publish without first registering an account. These anonymous projects can be claimed by their creators within a limited period. Paid subscriptions offer additional capabilities, including custom domains and longer version histories, although Automattic has not disclosed pricing details.
Spacefast is led by Automattic engineer Batuhan İçöz, who began developing the project during an internal hackathon earlier this year. İçöz previously worked on Beeper, Automattic's cross-platform messaging application, and said the idea emerged after seeing non-technical friends struggle with deploying AI-generated projects.
“I thought there had to be a better way for everyone to set up and deploy their projects,” İçöz told TechCrunch.
The platform has already been used for internal prototypes, presentations, and promotional websites. Automattic also organized a hack night in New York in late October to encourage developers to experiment with the service.
Spacefast enters a market that includes AI application builders such as Lovable and Emergent, which combine application creation with deployment infrastructure. Automattic is taking a somewhat different approach by allowing users to choose their preferred AI development tools rather than requiring them to build within a single integrated environment.
İçöz sees that flexibility as a potential advantage, particularly for organizations already experimenting with multiple AI tools. He also identified the growing number of independently created applications within companies as a challenge for enterprise IT teams, which may prefer to consolidate projects under established infrastructure providers.
Automattic could eventually extend Spacefast with additional services from its existing portfolio, including WordPress integrations, web analytics, and e-commerce capabilities through WooCommerce. These possibilities would build on infrastructure the company already operates rather than requiring an entirely separate technology stack.
The launch also reflects changes in how websites are being created. As AI tools make it easier to generate functional applications, users may no longer need to interact directly with traditional website-building software. Spacefast positions WordPress as an underlying service that supports those projects, even when creators never open its familiar publishing interface.
The new product arrives during a period of organizational changes at Automattic, including a boardroom dispute involving CEO Matt Mullenweg, executive departures, and reported layoffs across several company properties.
Spacefast remains in a research-preview stage, with Automattic continuing to refine its capabilities. Pricing for paid plans, the timing of a broader release, and the addition of further AI integrations remain open questions. For now, the company is focusing on making AI-generated projects easier to deploy and maintain while giving users flexibility in how those applications are created.
This analysis is based on reporting from Crypto Briefing & TechCrunch.
Image courtesy of Automattic.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
