TiddlyWiki vs Wikmd
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
Wikmd
File-based wiki using Markdown and Git
| Feature | TiddlyWiki | Wikmd |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 78 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,662 | ★ 424 |
| First released | 2004 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Notion, OneNote | Confluence, Notion |
What are TiddlyWiki and Wikmd?
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
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
TiddlyWiki vs Wikmd: key differences
TiddlyWiki is written in JavaScript, while Wikmd is built with Python. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for TiddlyWiki versus MIT for Wikmd. TiddlyWiki is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Wikmd. TiddlyWiki is the more established project (first released 2004), while Wikmd arrived in 2020. TiddlyWiki has the considerably larger community, at 8,662 GitHub stars versus 424. Wikmd 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 Wikmd if…
- Easy to back up with Git
- Simple to host
Watch out for
- Smaller feature set
- Basic access control
Frequently asked questions
Is TiddlyWiki or Wikmd 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 Wikmd free and open-source?
Yes. TiddlyWiki is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Wikmd under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run TiddlyWiki and Wikmd with Docker?
TiddlyWiki: check the project docs for container support. Wikmd: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, TiddlyWiki or Wikmd?
TiddlyWiki 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.