DokuWiki vs Read the Docs
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
DokuWiki
Simple, file-based wiki without a database
VS
Read the Docs
Documentation hosting platform you can self-host
| Feature | DokuWiki | Read the Docs |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | PHP | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,694 | ★ 8,373 |
| First released | 2004 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Confluence | GitBook, Confluence |
Why pick each one
Choose Read the Docs if…
- Great for versioned project docs
- Automated build pipeline
Frequently asked questions
Is DokuWiki or Read the Docs better?
Neither is universally better. Read the Docs has the larger community, while DokuWiki is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are DokuWiki and Read the Docs free and open-source?
Yes. DokuWiki is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Read the Docs under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DokuWiki and Read the Docs with Docker?
DokuWiki: yes. Read the Docs: yes.