Wiki.js — A polished, Git-friendly wiki engine with Markdown pages, fine-grained permissions and your choice of database.
What it is
Wiki.js is open-source wiki software built on Node.js: Markdown pages with optional Git-backed storage, granular access control, two-factor authentication and a choice of databases.
Editor's review
Long-form introduction by the BetterPicker editors · checked against the official site · Oct 25, 2026
Wiki.js keeps turning up in the searches of people hunting for a self-hosted Confluence replacement, and the reviewers reflect that. A long-running open-source channel finally covered it after years of viewer requests; another introduced it as wonderful open source software; Docker and Unraid walkthroughs and a one-click install demo round out the set. The GitHub repository carries a five-figure star count, with the stable 2.5 line in wide production and a beta for the next major version in active development. Under the hood it is Node.js talking to PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MSSQL or SQLite, which makes it unusually accommodating about where it lives. Community images cover amd64, arm64 and armv7, so a Raspberry Pi 4 is a legitimate host. Content is Markdown either way, and an optional Git storage module means every page can live as a versioned file in a repository you own - an insurance policy reviewers underline for anyone burned by wiki software before. The project's own documentation runs on the engine, which reviewers enjoy pointing out.
What it does well
Enterprise features, zero license: single sign-on through OAuth2, LDAP and friends, two-factor authentication, and page-level access rules that map neatly onto teams and sections.
Markdown in, Markdown out, Git underneath: the editor writes clean Markdown, and the Git module keeps a full history outside the app - content survives any migration decision you make later, a point the longer reviews underline.
Search and scale: built-in search plus alternative backends, an asset pipeline for images, and images small enough for single-board machines. Reviewers consistently praise how complete the admin panel feels, and the docs double as a live demo.
Who it's for
Teams replacing Confluence without the per-seat bill, open-source projects needing documentation they control, and individuals who want a proper wiki with versioned Markdown rather than a pile of notes. If your organization already runs databases and a reverse proxy, deployment is an afternoon; if not, the one-click app catalogs and NAS guides shorten the path considerably. It also suits agencies delivering client documentation - brand theming, per-space access and tidy export for clean handoff.
Where it falls short
Two versions, one decision: the next-generation beta is the future but the 2.5 line is what production trusts, so conservative admins wait while theme and integration authors split attention.
It is real server software: database, reverse proxy and TLS are your setup; one-click installs help, but updates and backups stay your job.
No live co-editing on the stable line: two people editing the same page is a conflict waiting to happen. Git history protects you, but this is not a Google Docs experience, and teams should agree on editing etiquette.
Specs at a glance
Facts from the official site · not editorial opinion
| Latest version | Stable 2.5.316 in production; 3.0.0 beta in active development |
|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source (AGPL-3.0) |
| Platforms | Node.js server with PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MSSQL or SQLite; Docker images for amd64/arm64/armv7; Windows and Linux |
| Open source | Yes - AGPL-3.0 (Requarks/wiki, 29,000+ GitHub stars) |
| Core capability | Markdown wiki engine with Git-backed storage, page-level permissions, 2FA and multi-database support |
| Integrations | SSO via OAuth2, LDAP, Azure and GitHub; Git storage sync; alternative search backends; storage providers such as S3 |
| Best for | Teams and projects that want a self-hosted, Confluence-style wiki on Markdown they own |
Frequently asked questions
▸Is Wiki.js free?
Yes, AGPL-3.0 open source with no feature paywalls; you provide the server and the database.
▸Where do pages live?
In your database as Markdown, and optionally mirrored to a Git repository, so content stays plain files you can move anywhere.
▸Wiki.js or DokuWiki or BookStack?
Wiki.js is Node.js with Markdown and Git history; DokuWiki is PHP with flat files and a huge plugin library; BookStack organizes content as books and chapters. Choose by ecosystem and hosting taste.
▸Can it run on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes - community images cover arm64 and armv7, and guides walk Pi 4 installs end to end.
Video reviews
5 review videos aggregated · praise and criticism included alike · click through to the original video
Channels that covered it
Channels are aggregated as sources only — we don’t rate creators
Related tools
Where to go next
External links open in a new tab; external content is independent of this site.
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