Wikis are websites built for collaborative authoring, allowing numerous contributors to add, edit, and structure content online.
They emphasize simplicity and openness — pages can be created or modified without special technical skills, and most maintain an edit history so revisions can be reviewed or reverted.
Common features
- **Collaborative editing:** Multiple people can edit the same pages, occasionally concurrently.
- **Edit history:** Each change is logged with a time and the editor’s name or IP.
- **Interlinking:** Creating links among pages is straightforward, which helps interconnect content.
- **Lightweight markup:** Simple markup languages (such as WikiText or Markdown) are used to format pages.
- **Permission settings:** Wikis may allow public editing or restrict changes to registered or authorized users.
- **Discussion pages:** Dedicated discussion pages enable contributors to coordinate and discuss content.
Typical uses
- Crowd-sourced knowledge resources (e.g., Wikipedia)
- Project documentation and internal company knowledge repositories
- Cooperative writing and shared notes
- Educational and classroom projects
Pros
- **Fast collaboration:** Contributors can rapidly create and improve content.
- **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions.
- **Expandable:** Wikis expand easily as contributors add and organize content.
Cons
- **Vandalism and false information:** Open contribution can result in deliberate or accidental misinformation.
- **Inconsistent quality:** Entries may vary in accuracy, style, and completeness.
- **Organizational issues:** Lack of structure or rules can lead to disorganization and conflicts.
Example
- **Wikipedia** — the best-known wiki, run by the Wikimedia Foundation and built by volunteer contributors worldwide.
