OutWiker vs YesWiki
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | OutWiker | YesWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 77 · Good | 73 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 331 | ★ 138 |
| First released | 2010 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Notion, OneNote | Confluence, Notion |
What are OutWiker and YesWiki?
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
YesWiki
YesWiki is a free wiki engine focused on simplicity and collaboration, allowing groups to build databases of structured information through form-based content. It is widely used by associations and community networks.
- Form-based databases
- Bazar content system
- Simple page editing
- Theme customization
OutWiker vs YesWiki: key differences
OutWiker is written in Python, while YesWiki is built with PHP. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for OutWiker versus AGPL-3.0 for YesWiki. OutWiker has the considerably larger community, at 331 GitHub stars versus 138.
Why pick each one
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
Choose YesWiki if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in PHP
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is OutWiker or YesWiki better?
Neither is universally better. OutWiker has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OutWiker and YesWiki free and open-source?
Yes. OutWiker is licensed under GPL-3.0 and YesWiki under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OutWiker and YesWiki with Docker?
OutWiker: check the project docs for container support. YesWiki: check the project docs for container support.