I've never used webCoRE. Should I start or is this mostly to support legacy users?
The news is essentially for legacy users - bolstering support in an era of uncertainty.
While I am a big fan, I am not enough of an addict to believe that others should do the same. I invested the learning curve while on ST, but could probably be equally happy if I invested that time in RM.
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I used webCore on ST years ago and loved it. After switching to Hubitat, I tried the port but at the time it was still too buggy. Since then @nh.schottfam has done an amazing job with the code. But I was still set on 'this is a ST thing that could go away at any time'. Now that Hubitat has made it official, I'm all in!
Definitely not just for 'legacy' users. Are the ads targeted towards ST users, of course! HE is always looking for new customers. But make no mistake, webCore is a full fledged, amazing, state-of-the-art automation engine.
I've already started to move from Event Engine back to webCore. 
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I didn't know about the ads. Apparently the Hubitat version will be ad free.
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Back when I was on SmartThings, I got fed up with the lack of control, so I started using webCoRE there, and it was awesome. Once SmartThings got even worse (new app/interface), I went Hubitat and moved my webCoRE instance to Hubitat. But I eventually questioned why I was mucking around with a separate system, and it looked like I could do everything I needed to do with Rule Machine, so I rebuilt everything there and now also in Room Lighting. Don’t get me wrong, webCoRE is an awesome powerful engine that competes with the best, but I can’t really say that I miss anything from webCoRE and can say that I’m happy moving fully to Hubitat.
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There's two halves to this:
- The piston editor which is hosted on a server. Server costs used to be covered by ads. This server is now being sponsored by Hubitat Inc., so no more ads.
- WebCoRE pistons always ran locally on Hubitat.
Also want to add - it was always possible to host the piston editor locally on your LAN; for instance on an RPi.
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I echo @bptworld. I started using webcore years ago on ST. I now have almost 100 pistons running on the HE system and could not be happier. Yes, I use Basic Rules and RM for minor things. But I always enjoy writing a new webcore piston. And the community support for webcore here on HE is amazing.
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When I was on SmartThings (no it was very smart), Their basic automations left out way to much, WebCoRE was my goto for 90% of my automations since I was moving scene based controls from a Stargate X10 system at the time. It has variables, events, and properties that could all be leveraged.
Then based on some advise I purchased a Hubitat C4 for experimenting. Most of the basic automation items didn't work well for how I looked at rooms and automation. But when SmartThings did a self factory reset and there were no way of restoring devices and settings I went full hog into Hubitat. I spent about a month developing automation templates that would easily me to move from WebCoRE. I have since been sold that that most of the built in applications along with Rule Machine was the best way for me.
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I see it as an HE strategy to entice smartthings users to switch over to Hubitat. Stating the following confirms this strategy:
"Hubitat understands that this is a challenging and difficult situation for the thousands of members who are still using the advanced rules engine on SmartThings platform."
There is no doubt that many new HE users come from smartthings, this is something you hear about continually in this forum. I imagine this announcement will make this transition easier and more enticing.
I started with HE so I didn't have any prior experience with webcore. I once took a look at it, and it seemed to have a large learning curve. For me Rule Machine was way easier. But I have also heard many new users (that come from smartthings), state that Rule Machine has a large learning curve and webcore is much easier.
I think it all comes down to what you are used to using.
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I used webCoRE a lot in my SmartThings days. I switched to RM on HE and really haven't found anything I can't do with RM - anything that I want to do anyway. And the annoying mixed case on webCoRE is enough to disqualify the product from serious use. That was hyperbole. But only a little. 
webCoRE -- the technology name that looks like a ransom note.
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I have been on WC since day 1 in ST. As an old programmer, literally, I felt much more comfortable coding in an editor and having the full freedom of constructs, functions and variables.
I have too many little niggles to try and use UI designs like RM; I did use it in the early days of ST when it existed. I like calling subroutines and passing vars, what can I say 
RM is great and I have a few of the simple pistons over in the built-ins though.
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Webcore is awesome. I use it extensively
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I used to use webCoRe when I was in ST. I exclusively use RM now but I may use my second hub to fiddle again.
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I used RM when it was available on ST and was unhappy when it was no longer available. Then CoRE and webCoRe came along and found that It was an even better fit for my head and background. I like the coding UI and having local and global variables too.
When I moved to Hubitat a couple of months ago, I was able to easily transfer my 40+ 'pistons' very quickly and without any real difficulty. All of my structures and logical (or possibly illogical) designs remained intact. I love how it's presented and how it works.
I'm sure I could use RM with great success too (like I did previously), but now that webCoRE will be native to Hubitat, it's not something that makes sense to do.
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The more I use the WebCoRE IDE the more I appreciate its thoughtful design. If you're lucky enough to create an automation that works the first time you use it (and never need to touch it again), you won't miss its fully featured editor, along with a nifty clipboard that tracks multiple code snippets. If debugging is required, you can trace (and time) the execution of your statement flows. It's easy to backup and copy your automations, and you have access to more programming constructs than you'll probably ever need. And it runs efficiently on HE, too.
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Like alot of the other posters I started WC in SmartThings.
I did mess with it a bit in HE but both the platform and the app were still maturing so ended up using RM then ultimately switched to Node-RED and a completely different paradigm.
Agree with @Tony about the WC's IDE - it is awesome.
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I have been using Rule Machine on HE for the past 3-4 years. Today it does not look very much like it did 3-4 years ago on Hubitat. What did it look like on ST, and when was it on ST?
WebCoRE was the only way I found to do many things on ST, Having support on HE even before this announcement was key piece of my decision to switch. Even if I had Lua/edge drivers for all my stuff, I could not find any acceptable option to replace my automations in new ST ecosystem. It may change, but I'm glad I didn't wait to find out.
Since moving to HE I've found I can do 80-90% of the things I want on rule manager and have converted over many pistons to rules. WebCoRE seems to have a lot more flexibility for more complex logic as well as ability to do math, and use some other functions I haven't figured out how to replace on RM yet.
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This is actually two different questions.
I agree with those who have pointed out that the reason the staff decided to more fully incorporate WC into the HE platform is primarily to entice current ST users that are about to be left out in the cold to jump ship over to HE.
But should you start using it as a HE user that wasn’t using WC previously? There’s no simple answer to that.
It’s a bit like asking if you should use Dewalt or Makita power tools, or if you should drink Coke or Pepsi. Everyone that answers is going to have their own opinion, and they’re all valid, at least as far as they apply to the person that’s responding.
I’d say it depends on how much free time you have and whether you like to try out new things. You might like it, you might not. But IMO you don’t have to worry that you’re missing out if you continue to use the other automation apps that are already built into the platform.
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IIRC mostly ~2016, and it looked a lot like the first version of RM when Hubitat came out in 2018.
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