Wiki: Pedia

<p>A wiki is a website designed for collaborative editing, letting many people create, update, and organize content directly in a web browser. 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:** Links between pages are simple to create, helping build connected 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:** Separate talk pages allow contributors to discuss edits and structure. Typical uses - Community-driven knowledge bases (for example, Wikipedia) - Project docs and corporate knowledge repositories - Collaborative writing and shared note-taking - School and instructional projects Pros - **Fast collaboration:** Contributors can rapidly create and improve content. - **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions. - **Expandable:** They scale organically as users add more pages and topics. Limitations - **Vandalism and false information:** Open editing may allow intentional or accidental inaccuracies. - **Inconsistent quality:** Entries may vary in accuracy, style, and completeness. - **Organizational issues:** Lack of structure or rules can lead to disorganization and conflicts. Notable example - **Wikipedia** — the largest example, maintained by the Wikimedia Foundation and contributed to by volunteers worldwide.</p>