Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ReadMe VS Wiki.js

Compare ReadMe VS Wiki.js and see what are their differences

ReadMe logo ReadMe

A collaborative developer hub for your API or code.

Wiki.js logo Wiki.js

An open source, modern and powerful wiki app built on Node.js, Git, and Markdown.
  • ReadMe Landing page
    Landing page //
    2025-03-04
  • Wiki.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-24

ReadMe features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    ReadMe offers a clean, intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to create and manage documentation without requiring extensive technical skills.
  • Interactive API Documentation
    The platform provides interactive API documentation, allowing users to try out API calls directly within the documentation, which enhances user understanding and engagement.
  • Customizability
    ReadMe allows a high level of customization, enabling users to tailor the look and feel of their documentation to match their brand identity.
  • Analytics
    The service offers built-in analytics, providing insights into how users interact with the documentation, which can help in improving user experience and understanding common issues.
  • Version Control
    ReadMe supports version control, making it easy to manage and maintain documentation for different versions of an API or product.
  • Collaboration Tools
    It includes collaboration tools that facilitate teamwork by allowing multiple users to work on documentation simultaneously.
  • Markdown Support
    The platform supports Markdown, making it easy for users to format their documentation efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of ReadMe

  • Cost
    Compared to some other documentation platforms, ReadMe can be more expensive, especially for small startups or individual developers.
  • Learning Curve
    While user-friendly, some advanced features may have a learning curve, especially for those who are not familiar with documentation tools.
  • Limited Offline Access
    ReadMe primarily operates as an online service, which can be limiting for users who need offline access to their documentation.
  • Performance on Large Projects
    There may be performance issues or slowdowns when dealing with very large projects or extensive documentation, requiring optimization.
  • Feature Limitations in Lower Tiers
    Some advanced features and customizability options are restricted to higher pricing tiers, which may not be accessible to all users.

Wiki.js features and specs

  • Open-Source
    Wiki.js is open-source software, which means it is free to use, and the source code is available for anyone to review, modify, and contribute to.
  • Modern Interface
    The platform features a sleek, modern interface that is user-friendly and customizable, employing responsive design that works well on various devices.
  • Markdown Support
    Wiki.js natively supports Markdown, which is a simple and efficient way to format text. This makes content creation quick and easy for users familiar with Markdown.
  • Extensibility
    The system supports numerous modules and extensions, allowing for high customization to suit the needs of different projects and teams.
  • Multi-Language
    It supports multiple languages, making it accessible and usable by a global audience without the need for additional translation tools.
  • Authentication Methods
    Wiki.js integrates with various authentication methods, including LDAP, OAuth, and even custom authentication, providing flexible security options.
  • Real-Time Collaboration
    With real-time collaborative editing, multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, improving efficiency and teamwork.
  • Content Management
    The platform includes robust version control and content management features, ensuring that all changes are tracked and reversible.
  • Search Functionality
    Advanced search functionality ensures users can quickly find the information they are looking for, enhancing the overall user experience.

Possible disadvantages of Wiki.js

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up Wiki.js can be more complex compared to other wiki solutions, requiring knowledge of JavaScript and server management.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues on larger installations, indicating that scalability might be a concern for very large deployments.
  • Limited WYSIWYG Editor
    The WYSIWYG editor is not as feature-rich as some other wiki platforms, which might be a drawback for users who prefer a more robust visual editing experience.
  • Dependency on Node.js
    Wiki.js requires Node.js to run, which could be a limitation for environments where installing and maintaining Node.js is not feasible.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    While the interface is modern and sleek, there can be a steeper learning curve for users who are not familiar with Markdown or the various configuration options.
  • Limited Plugin Ecosystem
    Compared to more established wiki platforms, Wiki.js has a relatively smaller plugin ecosystem, which could limit some functionalities out of the box.
  • Documentation Gaps
    Users have reported that the official documentation can be lacking in certain areas, making troubleshooting and advanced configuration more challenging.

ReadMe videos

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Wiki.js videos

WIKI.JS REVIEW + 1 CLICK INSTALL + DEMO TUTORIAL + $50 FREE TRIAL 👨‍💻

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How To Deploy Wiki.js on Ubuntu 18.04 With Nginx web server
  • Review - Tenha sua própria plataforma de wiki com o Wiki.js

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ReadMe and Wiki.js)
Documentation
72 72%
28% 28
WiKis
0 0%
100% 100
Documentation As A Service & Tools
Knowledge Base
32 32%
68% 68

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare ReadMe and Wiki.js

ReadMe Reviews

Best Gitbook Alternatives You Need to Try in 2023
Readme.com is a developer hub that allows users to publish API documentation. It focuses on making API references interactive by allowing to Try out API calls, log metrics about the API call usage, and more. This means it lacks some capabilities, like a review system and several blocks, which the Gitbook editor supports.
Source: www.archbee.com
12 Most Useful Knowledge Management Tools for Your Business
ReadMe offers integration with apps like Slack, Google Analytics, and Zendesk. One of its most significant advantages is the metrics option which lets you see how customers are using your API.
Source: www.archbee.com

Wiki.js Reviews

Top 12 Self-hosted Wiki Engines for 2024: A Comprehensive Guide
Wiki.js is an exceptional open-source wiki software that boasts impressive power and extensibility. Its remarkable key features include seamless compatibility with a variety of databases (such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MS SQL Server, SQLite), an extensive and user-friendly admin area, a performance-driven design utilizing Node.js, and a customizable appearance with both...
Source: medevel.com
The 10 Best Self-hosted Wiki Software for Linux System
The best thing is Wiki.js supports the maximum types of available databases, including MySQL and MariaDB. It has a built-in authentication feature that supports password encrypted file sharing. It allows integrating with other authentication services along with 2FA such as Google, GitHub, Microsoft, and many more. Wiki.js offers a wide range of features, which makes it one...
Best 11 Open-source Free Wiki Engines for teams and enterprise in 2022
Wiki.js is our first pick here because it is an enterprise-grade Wiki engine with dozens of features and options. It exceeds other engines in performance, features, and customizations.
Source: medevel.com
The Best 20 Wiki Software For Your Business& Internal Knowledge for 2022
Wiki.js is a modern version of traditional wiki platforms. It is an open-source wiki tool with an intuitive interface, easy installation process, and a bundle of features that make wiki creation a fun-filled experience. Based on Node.js, the software comes with a wide array of modules that can be turned on and off depending on which features you need and which ones you don’t.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Wiki.js should be more popular than ReadMe. It has been mentiond 68 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ReadMe mentions (23)

  • 7 Top API Documentation Software Tools 2025 (With Reviews and Pricing)✨
    For more information and to subscribe, visit ReadMe. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Leveraging API Documentation for Faster Developer Onboarding
    Documentation portals like ReadMe provide complete Developer experience platforms with customization, analytics, and feedback mechanisms. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Integrating OpenAPI With Mintlify
    According to the OpenAPI specification initiative, OpenAPI is the standard for defining your API. This means that with the help of this file, you can migrate your API documentation from one platform to another. For example, you can migrate your API docs from Postman to ReadMe or Mintlify or vice versa. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • How to view API request examples in a ReadMe documentation.
    My recent experience with The Movie Database (TMDB) API documentation underscores the importance of request examples in API documentation. It took me a couple of hours to figure out how to make a successful request to an endpoint because I couldn't access a request sample. However, I eventually found it in an unexpected place. ReadMe on the other hand didn't make it easy. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Do you Know Only Fools Use APIs Doc Platform?
    I came across readme.io some days back, and It's like that fresh outfit you wear to high-end parties—the one with crisp lines, dark colors, and intricate designs that make you stand out. Their documentation platform is sleek, modern, and highly customizable to fit your brand's drip. It's like having a tailor sew a 007 suit (James Bond) to your specs. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
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Wiki.js mentions (68)

  • Show HN: We built a FOSS documentation CMS with a pretty GUI
    Congrats on launching! Quick question: is this closer to WikiJS (https://js.wiki/), TinaCMS (https://tina.io/), Docusaurus (https://docusaurus.io/), or something else? - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Adding a simple light box in wiki.js
    Wiki.js is a self hosted, open source Wiki that has a lot of awesome functionality. Unfortunately it's lacking some small, but important UI features, like a light box, to enlarge downsized images to it's full size. And unless you want to add a link to each image, to open it in a new tab, you would probably go for a modal view here. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: What are some good documentation OSS offerings
    Https://js.wiki/ is what we’ve decided to go with at my company. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • How do you host documentation for your spouse or other users?
    Can't think of anything that meets all the criteria, there's always some compromise, which might just be the way it is. For example I could 'self-host' otterwiki or wiki.js on a VPS for a pretty small monthly fee, which I could also use for other stuff that doesn't make sense for a home lab, but then I also need to deal with security since it's hosted on the internet. Or I could self-host and just accept that... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Documentation as Code for Cloud Using PlantUML
    I love PlantUML. I was always fond of it in my early days as a software engineer and still use it today, along with all the various ways to draw diagrams out there, whether it's through a web tool like draw.io or Miro or through markup like PlantUML and Mermaid. Some stuff I'd like to share with the rest: - PlantUML's default style has improved since the days of red/brown borders, pale yellow boxes, drop shadows... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ReadMe and Wiki.js, you can also consider the following products

GitBook - Modern Publishing, Simply taking your books from ideas to finished, polished books.

DokuWiki - DokuWiki is a simple to use and highly versatile Open Source wiki software that doesn't require a database.

Docusaurus - Easy to maintain open source documentation websites

TiddlyWiki - a non-linear personal web notebook

Archbee.io - Archbee is a developer-focused product docs tool for your team. Build beautiful product documentation sites or internal wikis/knowledge bases to get your team and product knowledge in one place.

MediaWiki - MediaWiki is a free software wiki package written in PHP, originally for use on Wikipedia.