MDwiki vs Wikmd
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MDwiki | Wikmd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 19 · At risk | 78 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,187 | ★ 424 |
| First released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Confluence | Confluence, Notion |
What are MDwiki and Wikmd?
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
Wikmd
Wikmd is a lightweight, file-based wiki that stores all pages as Markdown files and tracks changes with Git. It offers a clean web interface for editing without a database.
- Markdown file storage
- Git-tracked history
- No database required
- Search across pages
MDwiki vs Wikmd: key differences
MDwiki is written in JavaScript, while Wikmd is built with Python. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for MDwiki versus MIT for Wikmd. MDwiki is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Wikmd. MDwiki is the more established project (first released 2013), while Wikmd arrived in 2020. MDwiki has the considerably larger community, at 3,187 GitHub stars versus 424. Wikmd 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 Wikmd if…
- Easy to back up with Git
- Simple to host
Watch out for
- Smaller feature set
- Basic access control
Frequently asked questions
Is MDwiki or Wikmd better?
Neither is universally better. MDwiki has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MDwiki and Wikmd free and open-source?
Yes. MDwiki is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Wikmd under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MDwiki and Wikmd with Docker?
MDwiki: check the project docs for container support. Wikmd: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MDwiki or Wikmd?
MDwiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Wikmd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.