What a wiki page is and how to start one
A wiki page is a document on a website that anyone with permission can read and edit. The most famous example is Wikipedia, where thousands of people maintain articles about history, science, and culture. But wikis also run internal documentation at companies, knowledge bases for software products, and community guides for hobbies and games.
Creating a wiki page usually means either starting a new article on an existing wiki (like Wikipedia) or setting up your own wiki platform if you want to host one yourself. The process differs depending on which platform you use, but the core idea stays the same: you write in a straightforward format, save your changes, and the page appears live for others to read.
Most people create wiki pages on existing platforms rather than building their own. Wikipedia is free but has strict rules about what counts as notable enough to document. Fandom wikis let fans document games, movies, and TV shows. Company wikis like Confluence or Notion let teams document internal processes. Each has different rules about who can edit and what content belongs there.
Key Takeaways
- Wikipedia requires an account and has rules about notability and sources, so new articles often get rejected unless they document something with significant public coverage.
- Fandom wikis, company wikis, and hobby wikis have looser rules and are easier places to start if you want to practice creating and editing pages.
- Wiki markup uses straightforward symbols like double brackets and asterisks to format text, and most platforms show you a preview before you save.
- Every edit on a public wiki is tracked and can be reverted, so mistakes do not break anything permanently.
- Most wikis require you to explain what you changed in a short summary, which helps other editors understand your work.
Starting a page on an existing wiki platform
The easiest way to create a wiki page is to use a platform that already exists. If you want to document something about a video game, anime series, or book franchise, Fandom wikis are designed for that and have thousands of active communities. If you want to document a hobby, hobby wikis exist for tabletop games, gardening, cooking, and dozens of other topics. Search for "[your topic] wiki" to see if one already exists.
On most platforms, you create an account first. This takes a few minutes and usually requires only an email address and a username. Some wikis let you edit without an account, but creating one lets you track your contributions and gives other editors a way to contact you if they have questions about your work.
Once you have an account, look for a button or link that says "Create a new page" or "Start a new article." On Wikipedia, this appears in the search results when you search for something that does not have a page yet. On Fandom wikis, it usually appears in the sidebar or top menu. The platform will ask you for a page title and may offer a template to start with.
Understanding wiki markup and formatting
Wiki pages use a straightforward text format called wiki markup instead of the buttons and menus you see in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. You type symbols around your text to format it. This takes practice but is faster once you learn the basics.
The most common wiki markup symbols are: two single quotes for italics (''like this''), three single quotes for bold ('''like this'''), and square brackets for links. To link to another page, you type [[Page Name]] and the wiki automatically turns it into a clickable link. To link to an external website, you type [http://example.com Example] with the URL first and the link text second.
Headings use equals signs. One equals sign on each side makes a small heading (=Heading=), two equals signs make a larger heading (==Heading==), and so on. Most wikis also let you create bulleted lists with asterisks (*) and numbered lists with hash marks (#). You can see a preview of how your page will look before you save it, so you can catch formatting mistakes.
Different wiki platforms use slightly different markup. Wikipedia uses MediaWiki markup. Fandom wikis use a similar system. Confluence and Notion use different formats. When you start editing on a new platform, look for a "Markup help" or "Formatting guide" link — it will show you exactly what symbols that platform uses.
Writing content that fits the wiki's rules
Every wiki has rules about what content belongs there. Wikipedia requires that articles document things with significant coverage in reliable sources — newspapers, books, academic journals. This means you cannot create a Wikipedia page about your local restaurant or your personal project unless it has been written about in major publications. Fandom wikis, by contrast, welcome detailed documentation of fictional worlds, characters, and plot points.
Before you write, read the wiki's rules. On Wikipedia, this is the "Notability" guideline. On Fandom wikis, it is usually in the community guidelines or FAQ. Check whether similar pages exist and how they are structured. If you are documenting a character, look at how other character pages are organized. If you are documenting a location, see what information other location pages include.
Write in a neutral, factual tone. Do not use "I think" or "in my opinion." State facts and back them up with sources when the wiki requires it. On Wikipedia, you must include citations — links or footnotes that show where your information came from. On hobby wikis, citations are less strict but still helpful. If you are documenting a game mechanic, link to the official game manual or patch notes. If you are documenting a historical event, link to news articles or academic sources.
Saving your page and handling edits from others
When you finish writing, click the "Save" or "Publish" button. The wiki will ask you for an edit summary — a short sentence explaining what you changed. Write something specific like "Added character background from episode 3" or "Corrected founding date with source." This helps other editors understand your work and makes it easier to track changes over time.
After you save, your page is live and other editors can see it. On public wikis, anyone with permission can edit your page. This can feel strange at first, but it is how wikis improve. If someone fixes a typo or adds information you missed, that is the wiki working as intended. If someone deletes something important or adds false information, you can revert their change — the wiki keeps a complete history of every version, so nothing is ever truly lost.
Most wikis let you watch a page you created, which sends you a notification when someone edits it. This is useful if you want to monitor your work or respond to questions other editors leave on the page's discussion tab. The discussion tab is where editors talk about the page itself — whether information is accurate, whether the structure makes sense, whether sources are reliable.
Setting up your own wiki if you need one
If you want to host a wiki for a team, organization, or community, you can set up your own using platforms like MediaWiki (the software Wikipedia runs on), Confluence (made by Atlassian for teams), Notion (a workspace tool with wiki features), or TiddlyWiki (a lightweight option you can run on your own server).
MediaWiki is free and open-source but requires technical knowledge to install and maintain. Confluence is paid and designed for companies — it costs money but handles user management and permissions automatically. Notion is simpler and cheaper, with a free tier for small teams. TiddlyWiki is the lightest option and runs in your browser, but it has fewer features.
Setting up your own wiki means deciding who can read and edit pages, whether edits need approval before they go live, and how to organize information. Most platforms let you create different permission levels — some users might only read, others might edit, and administrators might manage the whole wiki. Start straightforward and add rules only if you need them.
Common mistakes to avoid when creating wiki pages
The most common mistake is creating a page on Wikipedia for something that is not notable enough. Wikipedia editors will delete pages about local businesses, personal projects, and minor topics unless they have significant coverage in reliable sources. If you want to document something like that, use a different platform — a Fandom wiki, a hobby wiki, or your own wiki.
Another mistake is writing without sources. On Wikipedia, unsourced claims get flagged and eventually removed. Even on wikis with looser rules, sources make your page more credible and help other editors verify your work. If you are documenting something factual, include links to where that information came from.
Do not copy text from other websites and paste it into a wiki. This violates copyright on most platforms. Write in your own words, or if you must quote something, put it in quotation marks and cite the source. Wikipedia and most other wikis have strict rules about this.
Finally, do not get discouraged if your first page gets edited or rejected. Wikis are collaborative, and edits are normal. If your page gets deleted, read the deletion reason and try again on a different platform or with a different topic. If your page gets edited, look at what changed and learn from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be an informed to create a wiki page?
No. You need to know the topic well enough to write accurately and be willing to learn the wiki's rules and markup format. Most wikis have editors who will help you improve your work if you are new. Start with something you know well and care about.
What happens if I make a mistake on a wiki page?
Nothing permanent. Every wiki keeps a complete history of all versions, and any editor can revert a page to an earlier version if something goes wrong. If you notice a mistake, you can fix it yourself. If someone else notices it, they will likely fix it for you.
Can I delete a wiki page I created?
On most wikis, only administrators can delete pages. If you want to remove a page you created, contact the wiki's administrators and explain why. They will review your request and decide whether deletion is appropriate.
How do I know if my page will get rejected on Wikipedia?
Search Wikipedia for similar topics and read their articles. If nothing similar exists, your topic probably is not notable enough. Check Wikipedia's Notability guideline — it explains what counts as notable. When in doubt, start on a different wiki platform first.
Can I edit a wiki page on my phone?
Yes, most wikis work on phones, but editing is easier on a computer because wiki markup is text-based. Some platforms offer a visual editor that works better on mobile. Try editing on whatever device you have, and switch to a computer if the markup feels too complicated.