Wiki: Pedia

<p>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:** Every modification is recorded with a timestamp and the editor’s identity or IP address. - **Interlinking:** Creating links among pages is straightforward, which helps interconnect content. - **Lightweight markup:** Formatting is usually handled by lightweight markup languages (e.g., WikiText or Markdown). - **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 - Community-driven knowledge bases (for example, Wikipedia) - Project documentation and internal company knowledge repositories - Group writing and collaborative note-taking - Classroom and educational projects Pros - **Fast collaboration:** Multiple people can add and refine content quickly. - **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions. - **Expandable:** Wikis expand easily as contributors add and organize content. Drawbacks - **Vandalism and false information:** Public editing can lead to vandalism or incorrect information. - **Inconsistent quality:** Articles can differ greatly in depth, tone, and reliability. - **Organizational issues:** Poor coordination or governance can cause content fragmentation and disputes. Notable example - **Wikipedia** — a well-known wiki operated by the Wikimedia Foundation and written by volunteers around the globe.</p>