Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

DokuWiki VS MediaWiki

Compare DokuWiki VS MediaWiki and see what are their differences

DokuWiki logo DokuWiki

DokuWiki is a simple to use and highly versatile Open Source wiki software that doesn't require a database.

MediaWiki logo MediaWiki

MediaWiki is a free software wiki package written in PHP, originally for use on Wikipedia.
  • DokuWiki Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-16
  • MediaWiki Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-23

DokuWiki features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    DokuWiki is known for its simple and straightforward installation process. It does not require a database, making it easy for users to set up and manage.
  • File-based Storage
    Instead of using a database, DokuWiki stores its data in text files. This makes it easy to backup, transfer, and maintain.
  • Extensibility
    DokuWiki has a wide range of plugins and templates available, which allows users to extend its functionality and customize its appearance.
  • Built-in Access Controls
    DokuWiki provides built-in access controls and authentication mechanisms, allowing administrators to manage user permissions effectively.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Friendly
    DokuWiki is designed to be SEO-friendly, making content more discoverable by search engines.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source, DokuWiki is free to use and benefits from community contributions and support.

Possible disadvantages of DokuWiki

  • Limited Scalability
    Due to its file-based storage, DokuWiki may face performance issues as the amount of content grows significantly.
  • Learning Curve
    Though it is user-friendly, users without technical knowledge might still find it challenging to utilize advanced features or customize their wiki.
  • Basic Features
    While it covers the basics well, some users may find DokuWiki lacking in advanced features compared to other wiki software.
  • Plugin Dependency
    While extensibility is a pro, relying on plugins for additional functionality can lead to maintenance issues, especially if plugins become outdated or incompatible.
  • Less Professional Support
    As an open-source project, professional support is limited compared to commercial options. Users primarily rely on community support.

MediaWiki features and specs

  • Open Source
    MediaWiki is free and open-source software, allowing users to modify the source code to fit their specific needs without incurring licensing fees.
  • Scalable
    MediaWiki is designed to handle large-scale projects, making it suitable for enterprise-level documentation as well as large communal knowledge bases like Wikipedia.
  • Version Control
    Each edit in MediaWiki is stored, allowing users to track changes, revert to previous versions, and see the edit history, which is crucial for collaborative environments.
  • Extensive Documentation
    MediaWiki comes with comprehensive documentation, making it easier for developers and users to get started and troubleshoot any issues that arise.
  • Multilingual Support
    MediaWiki supports multiple languages, enabling the creation of content in various languages, useful for global organizations.
  • Extensible
    MediaWiki is highly extensible via plugins and extensions, allowing users to add functionalities tailored to their specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of MediaWiki

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up and configuring MediaWiki can be complex and time-consuming, potentially requiring technical expertise.
  • Maintenance
    MediaWiki requires regular maintenance, including updates, backups, and performance tuning, which can be resource-intensive.
  • Learning Curve
    For users not familiar with wikis or MediaWiki syntax, the learning curve can be steep, requiring training or time to become proficient.
  • Performance
    MediaWiki can become resource-intensive as the database grows, potentially requiring robust server resources to maintain performance.
  • Limited Features Out-of-the-Box
    While highly extensible, the core installation of MediaWiki has limited features, requiring additional plugins to add necessary functionalities.
  • Security Vulnerabilities
    As with any widely-used software, MediaWiki may be targeted for security vulnerabilities, necessitating regular updates and security patches.

DokuWiki videos

Dokuwiki Tutorial: Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Dokuwiki: Quick Walk Through

MediaWiki videos

Using A Self Hosted MediaWiki As A Private Documentation Server with Visual Editor

More videos:

  • Review - MediaWiki vs. Confluence

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to DokuWiki and MediaWiki)
WiKis
58 58%
42% 42
Note Taking
61 61%
39% 39
Knowledge Base
57 57%
43% 43
Content Collaboration
59 59%
41% 41

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare DokuWiki and MediaWiki

DokuWiki Reviews

Top 12 Self-hosted Wiki Engines for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide
DokuWiki is an open-source wiki software that stands out for its simplicity and versatility. Key features include ease of installation and use, low system requirements, built-in access control lists, support for over 50 languages, and device independence. It doesn't require a database, making it easier to maintain and back up. DokuWiki is extensible with a large variety of...
Source: medevel.com
The 10 Best Self-hosted Wiki Software for Linux System
Dokuwiki is a highly flexible and easy-to-use open source wiki software that does not require a database. Many users love it due to its ease to use and fluent syntax. The lack of limitations, backup, and installation make it the favorite of any user who wishes to maintain a collaborative website.
Best 11 Open-source Free Wiki Engines for teams and enterprise in 2022
DokuWiki is a popular PHP-based open-source wiki that has been standing for years. It offers a multilingual support as it packed by a large community of experienced users and developer from all over the world.
Source: medevel.com
The Best 20 Wiki Software For Your Business& Internal Knowledge for 2022
DocuWiki is a versatile open-source wiki tool that is noted for its clean and readable syntax. Feature-packed and easy to install, this software can be used to build a corporate wiki, private notebook, and software manual. Its built-in access controls and authentication connectors make it a perfect choice for enterprises looking for a solid security system. Creating a...
17 open source wiki engine/software
DokuWiki is a lightweight, standards compliant free PHP Wiki engine that allow you to create any kind of documentation. It has a simple yet powerful syntax which makes sure the data files remain readable outside the Wiki and eases the creation of structured texts. All data stored in plain text files – no database backend are required.

MediaWiki Reviews

Top 12 Self-hosted Wiki Engines for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide
Released in 2002, MediaWiki replaced the initial UseModWiki software used by Wikipedia. It evolved with Wikipedia's growth, introducing features like namespaces, watchlists, and user talk pages. It's been adopted by many organizations for their wikis due to its robust and scalable nature.
Source: medevel.com
The 10 Best Self-hosted Wiki Software for Linux System
MediaWiki is an outstanding self-hosted Wiki software for editing rich multimedia and developing collaborative projects. It is based on the Open Source Technology Project (OST), which allows the distribution of software modules. The main difference between MediaWiki and other wiki software is that MediaWiki uses a lightweight wiki markup, which is easier to learn in the...
Best 11 Open-source Free Wiki Engines for teams and enterprise in 2022
MediaWiki is an open-source Wiki engine that runs Wikipedia. It is the oldest system in the list and some may consider it the king of Wiki engines. It supports almost all available languages as it is easy to install and use.
Source: medevel.com
The Best 20 Wiki Software For Your Business& Internal Knowledge for 2022
MediaWiki is a free wiki software that runs platforms like Wikipedia and Wiktionary. It helps in collecting and managing knowledge and making it available to your target audience. Customizable and reliable, this wiki tool requires server maintenance and installation. The best part about MediaWiki is that it provides translation services that help you localize the wiki in...
17 open source wiki engine/software
MediaWiki is a free and open source server based wiki engine written in PHP developed by Wikipedia. MediaWiki is an extremely powerful, scalable software and a feature-rich wiki implementation, that uses PHP to process and display data stored in its MySQL database. Pages use MediaWiki’s wiki-text format, so that users without knowledge of XHTML or CSS can edit pages easily...

What are some alternatives?

When comparing DokuWiki and MediaWiki, you can also consider the following products

TiddlyWiki - a non-linear personal web notebook

XWiki - A powerful Open Source collaborative platform enhancing collaboration and communication.

Wiki.js - An open source, modern and powerful wiki app built on Node.js, Git, and Markdown.

Confluence - Confluence is content collaboration software that changes how modern teams work

BookStack - An open source knowledge management application that's focused on ease of use.

Nuclino - Nuclino works like a collective brain, helping teams bring all their knowledge, docs, and projects together in one place. It's a modern, simple, and blazingly fast way to collaborate.