TiddlyWiki vs YesWiki
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
YesWiki
Easy-to-use wiki for collaborative websites
| Feature | TiddlyWiki | YesWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 73 · Good |
| Category | Wikis & Documentation | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,662 | ★ 138 |
| First released | 2004 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Notion, OneNote | Confluence, Notion |
What are TiddlyWiki and YesWiki?
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
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
TiddlyWiki vs YesWiki: key differences
TiddlyWiki is written in JavaScript, while YesWiki is built with PHP. Licensing differs — BSD-3-Clause for TiddlyWiki versus AGPL-3.0 for YesWiki. TiddlyWiki is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for YesWiki. TiddlyWiki is the more established project (first released 2004), while YesWiki arrived in 2010. TiddlyWiki has the considerably larger community, at 8,662 GitHub stars versus 138.
Why pick each one
Choose TiddlyWiki if…
- Extremely portable
- Works fully offline
Watch out for
- Idiosyncratic concepts
- Multi-user needs the server mode
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 TiddlyWiki or YesWiki 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 YesWiki free and open-source?
Yes. TiddlyWiki is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and YesWiki under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run TiddlyWiki and YesWiki with Docker?
TiddlyWiki: check the project docs for container support. YesWiki: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, TiddlyWiki or YesWiki?
TiddlyWiki has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for YesWiki. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.