Django Wiki vs YesWiki
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Django Wiki | YesWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 85 · Excellent | 73 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source, docker | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,936 | ★ 138 |
| First released | 2013 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Confluence, MediaWiki | Confluence, Notion |
What are Django Wiki and YesWiki?
Django Wiki
Django Wiki is a wiki engine implemented as a reusable Django application, offering Markdown editing, revision history, and a permission system. It can be embedded into existing Django projects or run as a standalone site.
- Markdown editing
- Revision history
- Granular permissions
- Pluggable architecture
YesWiki
YesWiki is a free wiki engine focused on simplicity and collaboration, allowing groups to build databases of structured information through form-based content. It is widely used by associations and community networks.
- Form-based databases
- Bazar content system
- Simple page editing
- Theme customization
Django Wiki vs YesWiki: key differences
Django Wiki is written in Python, while YesWiki is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Django Wiki versus AGPL-3.0 for YesWiki. YesWiki is the more established project (first released 2010), while Django Wiki arrived in 2013. Django Wiki has the considerably larger community, at 1,936 GitHub stars versus 138. Django Wiki lists first-class Docker deployment; YesWiki does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Django Wiki if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Choose YesWiki if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Django Wiki or YesWiki better?
Neither is universally better. Django Wiki has the larger community, while YesWiki is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Django Wiki and YesWiki free and open-source?
Yes. Django Wiki is licensed under GPL-3.0 and YesWiki under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Django Wiki and YesWiki with Docker?
Django Wiki: yes. YesWiki: check the project docs for container support.