Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Wikipedia

Oddmuse is a compact wiki engine implemented as a Perl script that stores pages directly on the filesystem rather than in a database. It is designed for small to medium wikis, provides built-in versioning and a simple, extensible architecture, and can run under traditional CGI or as a Mojolicious-based server.

Key Features

• Single-file core: the wiki is delivered as one primary Perl script with optional extension scripts and configuration files
• Filesystem storage: pages and revisions are stored on the local filesystem; no database required
• Built-in versioning and history for pages, including simple restore capabilities
• Runs under CGI (e.g., Apache) or as a Mojolicious server (including Hypnotoad for production)
• Extensible via Perl modules, themes (CSS) and configuration scripts; supports translations
• Small footprint and cross-platform compatibility (Unix-like systems, Windows, many hosting providers)

Use Cases

• Internal team or project documentation hosted on inexpensive/shared hosting
• Lightweight public or community wikis where simplicity and small resource usage are priorities
• Quick knowledge bases or help sites that require versioned pages without a database backend

Limitations and Considerations

• Older, Perl-centric codebase; maintaining or extending core features typically requires Perl knowledge
• Lacks many modern integrated features (real-time collaboration, built-in WYSIWYG editor, advanced plugin ecosystem)
• Filesystem storage can limit scalability and advanced querying compared to database-backed wikis

Oddmuse is a minimal, pragmatic choice for sites that prioritize simplicity, low resource usage, and filesystem-based versioning. It is best suited for users comfortable with Perl and simple CGI or Mojolicious deployment models.

WiKiss is a lightweight wiki engine designed to be simple to deploy and easy to use. It runs on PHP and aims for a minimal setup while still providing core wiki capabilities expected for everyday documentation.

Key Features

• Simplified wiki syntax for quick editing
• Page version history with diffs between revisions
• Password protection for restricted access
• Automatic table of contents generation
• Built-in search
• Plugin system for extensions (for example tables and RSS generation)
• Themeable interface and XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliance

Use Cases

• Small team documentation and lightweight internal knowledge bases
• Personal or small project wikis with minimal operational overhead
• Simple documentation sites where version history and search are required

Limitations and Considerations

• Project activity appears largely historical, with the repository showing last modifications around 2009
• Feature set is intentionally minimal compared to modern wiki platforms

WiKiss is a derivative of TigerWiki and follows the KISS principle (Keep It Short and Simple). It is a practical choice when you want a straightforward PHP-based wiki without complex dependencies.

PmWiki is a wiki-based content management system focused on collaboratively creating and maintaining websites. It provides page editing through a simple markup syntax, with optional restrictions for who can read, edit, or upload content.

Key Features

• In-page editing workflow with simple markup (no need to write HTML for typical edits)
• Skins and templates to change site look-and-feel
• Granular, page/group/site-level password protection for reading, editing, and attachments
• File attachments and uploads with configurable permissions
• Extensible architecture with a large collection of community extensions ("recipes")
• Can integrate with external authentication sources (e.g., web server auth, LDAP, databases)

Use Cases

• Team or project documentation wiki with role-based access
• Lightweight intranet knowledge base with per-page permissions
• Public community site where trusted editors maintain pages

PmWiki is a mature, lightweight option for organizations that want a customizable wiki-style CMS with strong built-in access control and a flexible extension ecosystem.