Wiki: Pedia

Wikis are websites built for collaborative authoring, allowing numerous contributors to add, edit, and structure content online.

Simplicity and openness are central to wikis: anyone can often add or change pages without technical knowledge, and edits are usually logged for review or rollback.

Common features
- **Collaborative editing:** Several contributors can edit pages, sometimes at the same time.
- **Edit history:** Each change is logged with a time and the editor’s name or IP.
- **Interlinking:** Links between pages are simple to create, helping build connected content.
- **Lightweight markup:** Pages are typically formatted with lightweight markup like WikiText or Markdown.
- **Permission settings:** Wikis may allow public editing or restrict changes to registered or authorized users.
- **Discussion pages:** Talk or discussion pages let contributors debate edits and organization.

Common uses
- Community knowledge bases such as Wikipedia
- Internal documentation and company knowledge bases
- Cooperative writing and shared notes
- School and instructional projects

Benefits
- **Fast collaboration:** Many people can collaborate and iterate quickly on content.
- **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions.
- **Expandable:** Wikis expand easily as contributors add and organize content.

Drawbacks
- **Vandalism and false information:** Open editing may allow intentional or accidental inaccuracies.
- **Inconsistent quality:** Articles can differ greatly in depth, tone, and reliability.
- **Organizational issues:** Poor coordination or governance can cause content fragmentation and disputes.

Illustration
- **Wikipedia** — a well-known wiki operated by the Wikimedia Foundation and written by volunteers around the globe.