MoinMoin vs Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MoinMoin | Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-2.0 | LGPL-2.1 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 373 | ★ 300 |
| First released | 2000 | 2002 |
| Replaces | Confluence | Confluence, SharePoint |
What are MoinMoin and Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware?
MoinMoin
MoinMoin is an open-source wiki engine written in Python with a focus on being easy to use yet extensible. It stores pages as files and supports access control, themes, and a plugin macro system.
- File-based page storage
- Access control lists
- Macro and plugin system
- Theming support
Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware
Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware is an open-source platform combining a wiki, CMS, forums, and groupware features in a single application. It is known for having a very large set of built-in features.
- Wiki, CMS, and groupware in one
- Huge built-in feature set
- Forums and trackers
- Granular permissions
MoinMoin vs Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware: key differences
MoinMoin is written in Python, while Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for MoinMoin versus LGPL-2.1 for Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware. MoinMoin is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware. MoinMoin is the more established project (first released 2000), while Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware arrived in 2002. Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware lists first-class Docker deployment; MoinMoin does not.
Why pick each one
Choose MoinMoin if…
- No database to manage
- Long-running, stable project
Watch out for
- Smaller modern community
- Dated interface in older versions
Choose Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware if…
- Everything included out of the box
- No add-ons needed for most needs
Watch out for
- Can feel overwhelming
- Interface is dated
Frequently asked questions
Is MoinMoin or Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware better?
Neither is universally better. MoinMoin has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MoinMoin and Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware free and open-source?
Yes. MoinMoin is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware under LGPL-2.1. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MoinMoin and Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware with Docker?
MoinMoin: check the project docs for container support. Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, MoinMoin or Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware?
MoinMoin has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.