MDwiki vs Wiki.js
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?
MDwiki
CMS-free wiki that renders Markdown in the browser
VS
Wiki.js
Modern and powerful open-source wiki
| Feature | MDwiki | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,191 | ★ 28,727 |
| First released | 2013 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Confluence | Confluence, Notion |
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 Wiki.js if…
- Flexible and full-featured
- Many auth options
- Good content management
Frequently asked questions
Is MDwiki or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js has the larger community, while MDwiki is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are MDwiki and Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. MDwiki is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MDwiki and Wiki.js with Docker?
MDwiki: check the project docs for container support. Wiki.js: yes.