WikiDocs: Open Source Documentation & Knowledge Base

What is WikiDocs?

WikiDocs is a databaseless, flat-file wiki written in TypeScript that keeps every page as a portable Markdown file, built for individuals and teams who want to own their knowledge base instead of renting one from a database or cloud service.

What it is

WikiDocs is an open-source wiki engine that stores content as plain Markdown files on disk rather than in a database. Version 2 is a complete rewrite in TypeScript across the whole stack: a NestJS backend, an Angular web client, and an Electron desktop application. It sits in the Node and TypeScript ecosystem, and the original PHP implementation is still available on a separate legacy branch. The project is published under the MIT licence, hosted at https://www.wikidocs.app, and ships both as a desktop download and as the Docker image zavy86/wikidocs.

The concrete problem it solves is lock-in. A conventional wiki or CMS writes your pages into a database or a hosted service, so moving the content elsewhere means an export, a migration script, or losing structure. WikiDocs keeps the same files at the centre of the workflow instead: they stay readable text, they can be opened by the LLM tools you choose, and they can be copied, backed up, or versioned with ordinary file tools. A YAML frontmatter block carries page metadata, namespaces group related content, and unlimited page revisions are kept in the same flat-file store, so no relational database has to be installed, tuned, or restored.

Key capabilities

Databaseless storage: content lives as plain Markdown files with YAML frontmatter, with no database required.
Full WYSIWYG editor in the Angular client, with Markdown syntax rendering underneath.
KaTeX support for mathematical notation and Mermaid support for diagrams.
Unlimited page revisions, plus uploading and downloading of attachments.
Image uploads, including direct paste from the clipboard.
Content categorisation into namespaces, with public and private browsing modes.
Desktop and remote sync between the Electron app and a self-hosted instance, backed by REST APIs for integration with other tools.

Who uses it and how

Individuals running the standalone Electron desktop application to keep an entirely local wiki on their own computer, with the files available to local LLM tooling.
Self-hosters running the zavy86/wikidocs Docker image to serve the same portable data privately or publicly on their own infrastructure.
Hybrid users who write locally in the desktop app and sync that content with their own self-hosted instance for access from anywhere.
Teams documenting a project or sharing a team wiki, using namespaces to split content and the public/private browsing switch to control what is exposed.
Integrators calling the REST APIs to connect WikiDocs to other tools and workflows.

Getting started

Download the desktop application from the project's GitHub releases to keep a wiki entirely local, or run the published Docker image zavy86/wikidocs when a self-hosted instance or remote sync is needed. A public demo is available at http://demo.wikidocs.app, using the credentials john.doe@wikidocs.app and wikidocs.

How it compares

No list of paid products that WikiDocs replaces is provided in the facts, and no comparable tools are named either. On the evidence available, it stands alone in this registry.

When to use it — and when not to

Choose WikiDocs when content portability and the absence of a database matter more than relational querying, and when you are willing to operate either a desktop install or a container host plus whatever storage holds the Markdown files. Do not pick it if you need features that a database-backed wiki normally provides, such as relational reporting or identity systems — none are described in the available material. The honest caveat is that the published setup section is truncated in the excerpt available here, and the only credentials shown are demo credentials, so authentication and deployment specifics should be confirmed against the repository before a production rollout.

project readme (upstream, from github) — read inline

Wiki|Docs

Just a databaseless markdown flat-file wiki

Wiki|Docs is a privacy-friendly wiki for people who want to own their knowledge base.

Run it entirely on your computer with the standalone desktop app, or host it yourself with Docker. Your content remains portable Markdown files, rather than data locked into a database or cloud service.

Project homepage: https://www.wikidocs.app

Please consider supporting this project by making a donation via PayPal.

What's new in Wiki|Docs

Wiki|Docs 2 is a complete rewrite in TypeScript across the entire stack: the NestJS backend, Angular web client, and Electron desktop application.

The new architecture brings:

A standalone desktop application that keeps your Markdown files on your computer, ready for use with the LLM tools you choose.
A self-hosted Docker service that can remotely store and serve the same portable data (privately or publicly).
Desktop and remote sync, so you can work locally and keep your knowledge base updated with your self-hosted instance.
REST APIs that make Wiki|Docs straightforward to integrate with other tools and workflows.

If you are looking for the original PHP version of the project, please see this branch.

Why Wiki|Docs?

Wiki|Docs is designed for people who value ownership over their information. It keeps the writing experience simple while giving you the freedom to work locally, self-host when needed, and move your content without vendor lock in.

What you need	What Wiki\|Docs provides
Privacy and portability	Plain Markdown files and no database required.
A simple local workspace	A standalone desktop app that works without a hosted service.
Access from anywhere	Optional Docker self-hosting and sync between the desktop app and a remote instance.

Quick start

Try the public demo to explore Wiki|Docs immediately.
Download the desktop application to keep your wiki entirely local.
Run the Docker image when you want a self-hosted instance or remote sync.

Features

Wiki|Docs combines the convenience of a modern editor with the durability of plain text Markdown. Whether you are documenting a project, building a personal knowledge base, or sharing a team wiki, the same portable files remain at the center of your workflow.

Open source
Plain text files
No database required
Markdown syntax
YAML Frontmatter
Editor full WYSIWYG
Support for KaTeX math
Support for Mermaid diagrams
Unlimited page revisions
Uploading and downloading attachments
Uploading images (also from clipboard)
Content can be categorized in namespaces
Public and private browsing
Desktop and remote sync
Syntax highlighting
Multiple languages
Dark mode
And much more.

Demo

Explore the demo playground at http://demo.wikidocs.app with the following demo credentials:

Authentication:

Username: john.doe@wikidocs.app
Password: wikidocs

If Wiki|Docs is useful to you, please consider starring the project.

Screenshots

Here is a glimpse of the desktop and web experience. Select any image to open the original screenshot at full size.

Setup

To run Wiki|Docs, you can either use the desktop application or run it in a self-hosted environment.

Desktop

Download the latest desktop application release and run the installer.

The application will be installed on your system, then you can launch it from the Start menu or desktop shortcut.

Self-hosted

A Docker image is available on Docker Hub to run Wiki|Docs in a container.

Running Wiki|Docs in a container is the recommended way to host it yourself, as it is the easiest and fastest way to get started.

Once the container is running, open the web client at http://localhost:3210. The backend API and Swagger documentation are available at http://localhost:3210/api/.

Quick run

docker run -p 3210:3210 zavy86/wikidocs:2

Additional settings

docker run --name wikidocs -d -p 3210:3210 -v /path/to/local/wikidocs/datasets/or/volume:/var/lib/wikidocs zavy86/wikidocs:2

With Docker Compose

Use the following docker-compose.yml file to run Wiki|Docs with Docker Compose.

volumes:
  datasets:

services:
  wikidocs:
    image: zavy86/wikidocs:2
    environment:
      MODE: public|private
      SECRET: generate-a-secret-key-here
    volumes:
      - datasets:/var/lib/wikidocs/datasets
    ports:
      - "3210:3210"

Sync

To sync your Wiki|Docs data across multiple devices, host the application yourself and configure the desktop app to connect to your remote instance.

Open the Settings menu from the File menu (press Alt on Windows) to enter the sync configuration.

You can then access and edit your Wiki|Docs content online from any device.

Migration

Before migrating from version 1.x.x (legacy), always create a complete backup of your dataset.

Despite the significant structural changes in this release, your data remains fully compatible. On first launch, reconfigure the wiki and create an administrator user. All existing documents will then work as expected.

The only manual adjustment is to move the homepage document to the root directory, because version 2 no longer uses the legacy homepage slug as its index page.

If you use Docker, point to port 3210 instead of 80 and bind the dataset volume to /var/lib/wikidocs/datasets.

Help and documentation

Start with the resources below to learn how to use, host, extend, or get help with Wiki|Docs.

Visit www.wikidocs.app for product documentation and guides.
Open your self-hosted instance at /api/ for the Swagger documentation.
Ask questions or share ideas in GitHub Discussions.
Report a problem through GitHub Issues.

Contributing

Contributions of every kind are welcome, from bug reports and feature ideas to documentation, testing, code, and pull request reviews.

Developers

This section recognizes the people who have helped make this project possible.

If you want to contribute to the project, please check the CONTRIBUTING file for more information.

Creator

💡 Manuel Zavatta ( Website | LinkedIn | YouTube | Contacts )

Collaborators

Contributors

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Frequently asked questions

Is WikiDocs free to use?

WikiDocs is open source under the MIT licence. There is no licence fee and no seat count — you can self-host it or, where the project offers one, pay a vendor for a managed version instead.

What does WikiDocs do?

📗 Just a databaseless markdown flat-file wiki

What is WikiDocs written in?

WikiDocs is primarily written in TypeScript. Its source is publicly available at https://github.com/Zavy86/WikiDocs, and it has 533 GitHub stars.