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. Key features - **Collaborative editing:** Multiple people can edit the same pages, occasionally concurrently. - **Edit history:** All edits are stored with timestamps and the author’s name or IP. - **Interlinking:** It’s easy to create links between pages, forming an interconnected knowledge base. - **Lightweight markup:** Pages are typically formatted with lightweight markup like WikiText or Markdown. - **Permission settings:** Access controls vary — from fully open editing to permissions for certain users or groups. - **Discussion pages:** Separate talk pages allow contributors to discuss edits and structure. Frequent uses - Community-driven knowledge bases (for example, Wikipedia) - Internal documentation and company knowledge bases - Group writing and collaborative note-taking - Educational and classroom projects Benefits - **Fast collaboration:** Many people can collaborate and iterate quickly on content. - **Openness:** Visibility into edits and discussions shows how decisions were reached. - **Expandable:** Wikis expand easily as contributors add and organize content. Limitations - **Vandalism and false information:** Public editing can lead to vandalism or incorrect information. - **Inconsistent quality:** Entries may vary in accuracy, style, and completeness. - **Organizational issues:** Poor coordination or governance can cause content fragmentation and disputes. Illustration - **Wikipedia** — the largest example, maintained by the Wikimedia Foundation and contributed to by volunteers worldwide.</p>