What a wiki is and why you might create one

A wiki is a website where multiple people can write, edit, and organize information together without needing to know how to code. Think of it as a shared notebook that lives online — anyone with permission can add a page, fix a typo, or reorganize how information is grouped. The most famous wiki is Wikipedia, but teams use wikis to document how their software works, store company procedures, or keep project notes in one searchable place.

You create a wiki when you need information that changes often and belongs to more than one person. A single document works fine if only you update it. A wiki works better when five people need to add information, three people need to fix mistakes, and everyone needs to find things quickly without emailing back and forth.

The barrier to creating one is lower than it used to be. You do not need to install software on a server or hire someone to set it up. Several platforms let you start a wiki in minutes, add people, and begin writing.

Key Takeaways

  • A wiki is a website where multiple people can write and edit pages together, and it works best for information that changes often or belongs to a team.
  • Hosted wiki platforms like Notion, Confluence, and MediaWiki handle the technical setup for you, so you can start writing when ready.
  • You control who can view and edit each wiki by setting permissions — you can make it open to your whole team or restrict it to specific people.
  • Most wikis let you link pages together, search across all pages at once, and see who changed what and when.
  • The first step is choosing a platform, inviting your team, and writing a home page that explains what the wiki is for and how to find things in it.

Choosing a wiki platform

The platform you pick depends on whether you want to pay, how many people will use it, and what other tools you already use. Notion is popular for small teams because it is free up to a certain number of users, feels like a document, and integrates with Slack. Confluence is what many software companies use — it costs money but handles large teams and connects to Jira (a project tracking tool). MediaWiki is the software that runs Wikipedia itself and is free to install, but requires a server and technical knowledge.

For most people starting out, Notion or a free tier of Confluence is the right choice. Both let you create a page, add subpages, link between pages, and control who sees what. Notion feels more like writing in a document. Confluence feels more like a traditional wiki with a home page and nested sections.

If you already use Microsoft Teams or SharePoint at work, you can create a wiki inside Teams without signing up for anything new. If you use Google Workspace, you can use Google Sites, though it is simpler than a true wiki. The best choice is usually the platform your team already opens every day.

Setting up your wiki and inviting people

Once you pick a platform, create an account and start a new wiki. Most platforms ask you to name it and choose whether it is public (anyone on the internet can read it) or private (only people you invite can see it). For a team wiki, choose private unless you are documenting something meant to be public.

Then invite the people who need to be there. In Notion, you click "Share" and paste email addresses. In Confluence, you go to Settings and add people by email or by group (if your company uses Active Directory). In Teams, you add people to the team itself, and they automatically see the wiki. Do not invite everyone in your organization — invite only the people who will actually use it or need to read it.

When you invite someone, you usually choose their permission level: can they only read, or can they also edit? For a team wiki, most people should be able to edit. For a reference wiki that only a few people maintain, you might restrict editing to those few and let everyone else read.

Creating your home page and organizing structure

The home page is the first thing people see when they open your wiki. It should explain what the wiki is for in one sentence, list the main sections, and tell people where to start if they are new. A home page for a software team might say: "This wiki documents how our API works, how to set up your development environment, and how to deploy code. New team members should start with the Setup Guide."

Then create main sections as top-level pages. For a software team, that might be: Getting Started, Architecture, Deployment, Troubleshooting, and Team Processes. Under each section, create subpages for specific topics. Under Troubleshooting, you might have pages for "Database Connection Errors," "Memory Leaks," and "Slow Queries."

Keep the structure shallow — do not nest pages more than three levels deep, or people get lost. Use consistent naming: if one page is called "How to Deploy," do not call another "Deploying Code." Link between related pages so readers can jump from one topic to another without going back to the home page.

Writing and editing pages

Start by writing the pages that matter most — the ones people will actually need. Do not try to document everything at once. A page about how to set up your development environment is more useful than a half-finished page about your entire system.

Write in plain language. Assume the reader is new to the topic. Explain why something matters, not just what it is. Instead of "The API uses REST," write "The API uses REST, which means you send requests using standard web addresses and get back data in JSON format."

Most wiki platforms let you format text with bold, italics, headings, and lists. Use headings to break up long pages. Use lists when you are giving steps or options. Add code examples if your wiki is technical — most platforms have a code block feature. If you add an image or diagram, give it a caption so people know what they are looking at.

When someone else edits a page you wrote, you can usually see what changed and who changed it. This is called version history. If someone deletes something important by mistake, you can revert to an earlier version. Check your wiki's settings to see how long it keeps old versions — some platforms keep them forever, others delete them after a few months.

Keeping your wiki current and organized

A wiki that nobody updates becomes useless. Set a rhythm for maintenance. Once a month, pick a person to read through the wiki and fix anything that is out of date. If your team uses Slack, post a reminder in a channel: "Wiki maintenance week — if you know something is wrong or missing, now is the time to fix it."

When someone asks a question that the wiki should answer but does not, add a page for it. When a process changes, update the page that describes it. When you delete a page, check if any other pages link to it — update those links so they point somewhere useful instead.

Most wikis let you add a "Last Updated" date to each page. This tells readers whether the information is fresh or might be stale. Some platforms do this automatically. If yours does not, add it by hand at the bottom of each page.

Controlling who can see and edit what

Permissions let you decide who can read each page and who can change it. In most wikis, you set permissions at the page level or the section level. You might make your home page and Getting Started section visible to everyone, but restrict the Salary Information page to managers only.

If your wiki is private, only people you invited can see it at all. If it is public, anyone on the internet can read it unless you restrict specific pages. Most team wikis are private — you invite your team, contractors, or partners, and nobody else can see it.

You can also set a page to read-only, which means people can view it but not edit it. Use this for pages that should not change, like a policy document or a historical record. For pages that are still being written, leave them open to editing so your team can improve them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a wiki from one platform to another later?

Most platforms let you export your pages as files, but the format might not match the new platform perfectly. Notion exports to Markdown, Confluence exports to XML. Before you choose a platform, check whether it can export in a format the platform you might move to can read. For most teams, this is not a real concern — you pick a platform and stay with it.

What if someone deletes important information by mistake?

Every wiki platform keeps a version history, which means you can see every change and who made it. You can revert to an earlier version with a few clicks. Some platforms let you set how long they keep old versions — check your settings so you know how far back you can go.

Do I need to pay for a wiki?

No. Notion is free for small teams, MediaWiki is free to install, and Google Sites is free. Confluence and some other platforms charge money, but they offer free trials and discounts for nonprofits and education. Start with a free option and upgrade only if you need features the free version does not have.

Can I embed videos or other files in wiki pages?

Yes. Most wikis let you embed YouTube videos, Google Drive files, and images. Some let you upload files directly. Check your platform's documentation to see what file types it supports and whether there are size limits.

How do I know if my wiki is actually being used?

Most platforms show you how many people viewed each page and when. Confluence and Notion both have analytics. If a page has not been read in three months, it might be out of date or nobody needs it. Use this information to decide what to update or delete.