DokuWiki vs Wiki.js
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | DokuWiki | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,721 | ★ 28,956 |
| First released | 2004 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Confluence | Confluence, Notion |
What are DokuWiki and Wiki.js?
DokuWiki
DokuWiki is a simple, versatile wiki engine that stores all content in plain text files, needing no database. It targets users who want an easy-to-back-up, low-maintenance wiki. It is deployed via Docker or a PHP stack.
- No database required
- Large plugin and template library
- Built-in versioning and ACLs
- Plain-text storage
Wiki.js
Wiki.js is a modern, feature-rich wiki engine with multiple editors, authentication options, and storage backends. It targets teams and communities building a structured knowledge base. It is deployed via Docker or Node.js.
- Markdown, WYSIWYG and code editors
- Many authentication providers
- Git and storage sync
- Powerful permissions
DokuWiki vs Wiki.js: key differences
DokuWiki is written in PHP, while Wiki.js is built with Vue. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for DokuWiki versus AGPL-3.0 for Wiki.js. DokuWiki is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Wiki.js. DokuWiki is the more established project (first released 2004), while Wiki.js arrived in 2017. Wiki.js has the considerably larger community, at 28,956 GitHub stars versus 4,721.
Why pick each one
Choose DokuWiki if…
- Trivial to back up
- Very stable and mature
- Low resource needs
Watch out for
- Dated default look
- Markup is wiki-specific
Choose Wiki.js if…
- Flexible and full-featured
- Many auth options
- Good content management
Watch out for
- Configuration can be involved
- Version 3 rewrite in progress
Frequently asked questions
Is DokuWiki or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js 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 Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. DokuWiki is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DokuWiki and Wiki.js with Docker?
DokuWiki: yes. Wiki.js: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, DokuWiki or Wiki.js?
DokuWiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Wiki.js. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.