MDwiki vs phpMyFAQ
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MDwiki | phpMyFAQ |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 19 · At risk | 76 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MPL-2.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,187 | ★ 620 |
| First released | 2013 | 2001 |
| Replaces | Confluence | Zendesk Guide, Confluence |
What are MDwiki and phpMyFAQ?
MDwiki
MDwiki is a completely client-side wiki engine that renders a set of Markdown files into a navigable site without any server-side processing or database. Pages are loaded and rendered on demand directly in the browser.
- Pure client-side rendering
- No server logic
- Markdown content
- Themeable layout
phpMyFAQ
phpMyFAQ is a mature open-source FAQ and knowledge base system written in PHP. It supports multi-language content, categories, user permissions, and a powerful search for building help centers.
- FAQ-focused knowledge base
- Multi-language content
- Granular permissions
- Powerful search
MDwiki vs phpMyFAQ: key differences
MDwiki is written in JavaScript, while phpMyFAQ is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for MDwiki versus MPL-2.0 for phpMyFAQ. MDwiki is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for phpMyFAQ. PhpMyFAQ is the more established project (first released 2001), while MDwiki arrived in 2013. MDwiki has the considerably larger community, at 3,187 GitHub stars versus 620. PhpMyFAQ lists first-class Docker deployment; MDwiki does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MDwiki if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (3.2k GitHub stars)
- Written in JavaScript
Choose phpMyFAQ if…
- Purpose-built for help centers
- Mature and stable
Watch out for
- Interface feels dated
- Less suited to free-form wikis
Frequently asked questions
Is MDwiki or phpMyFAQ better?
MDwiki is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider phpMyFAQ if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are MDwiki and phpMyFAQ free and open-source?
Yes. MDwiki is licensed under GPL-3.0 and phpMyFAQ under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MDwiki and phpMyFAQ with Docker?
MDwiki: check the project docs for container support. phpMyFAQ: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MDwiki or phpMyFAQ?
MDwiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for phpMyFAQ. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.