TiddlyWiki vs WackoWiki
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted wikis & documentation options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
TiddlyWiki
A non-linear personal web notebook in a single file
VS
WackoWiki
Lightweight and easy-to-install multilingual wiki
| Feature | TiddlyWiki | WackoWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 69 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,662 | ★ 55 |
| First released | 2004 | 2003 |
| Replaces | Notion, OneNote | Confluence, Notion |
What are TiddlyWiki and WackoWiki?
TiddlyWiki
TiddlyWiki is a unique open-source wiki that can run as a single self-contained HTML file. It is a non-linear notebook for capturing and organizing information, also runnable as a Node.js server.
- Runs as a single HTML file
- Non-linear note structure
- Highly customizable
- Optional Node.js server mode
WackoWiki
WackoWiki is a lightweight, open-source wiki engine focused on ease of installation and multilingual support. It includes WYSIWYG editing, access control, and file uploads.
- Easy installation
- WYSIWYG editing
- Multilingual interface
- Access control lists
TiddlyWiki vs WackoWiki: key differences
TiddlyWiki is written in JavaScript, while WackoWiki is built with PHP. TiddlyWiki is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for WackoWiki. TiddlyWiki has the considerably larger community, at 8,662 GitHub stars versus 55. WackoWiki lists first-class Docker deployment; TiddlyWiki does not.
Why pick each one
Choose TiddlyWiki if…
- Extremely portable
- Works fully offline
Watch out for
- Idiosyncratic concepts
- Multi-user needs the server mode
Choose WackoWiki if…
- Lightweight and simple
- Good multilingual support
Watch out for
- Small community
- Limited extensions
Frequently asked questions
Is TiddlyWiki or WackoWiki better?
Neither is universally better. TiddlyWiki has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are TiddlyWiki and WackoWiki free and open-source?
Yes. TiddlyWiki is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and WackoWiki under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run TiddlyWiki and WackoWiki with Docker?
TiddlyWiki: check the project docs for container support. WackoWiki: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, TiddlyWiki or WackoWiki?
TiddlyWiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for WackoWiki. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.