Feather Wiki vs OutWiker
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Feather Wiki | OutWiker |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 32 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 900 | ★ 331 |
| First released | 2021 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Notion, TiddlyWiki | Notion, OneNote |
What are Feather Wiki and OutWiker?
Feather Wiki
Feather Wiki is an extremely small single-file personal wiki and note-taking application that runs entirely in the browser. The whole wiki, including content and code, lives in one tiny HTML file that is easy to back up and host anywhere.
- Single HTML file
- Tiny footprint
- Works offline
- Page linking
OutWiker
OutWiker is a cross-platform desktop application for storing notes and knowledge in a tree structure, functioning as a personal wiki. Each page can use wiki markup, HTML, or Markdown, and plugins extend its capabilities.
- Tree-structured pages
- Multiple markup modes
- Plugin support
- Cross-platform desktop app
Feather Wiki vs OutWiker: key differences
Feather Wiki is written in JavaScript, while OutWiker is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for Feather Wiki versus GPL-3.0 for OutWiker. Feather Wiki is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for OutWiker. OutWiker is the more established project (first released 2010), while Feather Wiki arrived in 2021. Feather Wiki has the considerably larger community, at 900 GitHub stars versus 331.
Why pick each one
Choose Feather Wiki if…
- Trivial to host
- Highly portable
Watch out for
- No multi-user editing
- Limited at large scale
Choose OutWiker if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in collaboration
Frequently asked questions
Is Feather Wiki or OutWiker better?
Neither is universally better. Feather Wiki has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Feather Wiki and OutWiker free and open-source?
Yes. Feather Wiki is licensed under MIT and OutWiker under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Feather Wiki and OutWiker with Docker?
Feather Wiki: check the project docs for container support. OutWiker: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Feather Wiki or OutWiker?
Feather Wiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for OutWiker. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.