Wiki: Pedia

<p>A wiki is a web platform that enables multiple users to collaboratively create, edit, and arrange content through a browser.

They emphasize simplicity and openness — pages can be created or modified without special technical skills, and most maintain an edit history so revisions can be reviewed or reverted.

Key features
- **Collaborative editing:** Multiple people can edit the same pages, occasionally concurrently.
- **Edit history:** Each change is logged with a time and the editor’s name or IP.
- **Interlinking:** It’s easy to create links between pages, forming an interconnected knowledge base.
- **Lightweight markup:** Formatting is usually handled by lightweight markup languages (e.g., WikiText or Markdown).
- **Permission settings:** Some wikis are open to anyone; others limit edits to registered users or specific groups.
- **Discussion pages:** Talk or discussion pages let contributors debate edits and organization.

Common uses
- Community-driven knowledge bases (for example, Wikipedia)
- Project docs and corporate knowledge repositories
- Cooperative writing and shared notes
- Educational and classroom projects

Advantages
- **Fast collaboration:** Many people can collaborate and iterate quickly on content.
- **Openness:** Transparency through revision histories and discussions.
- **Expandable:** They scale organically as users add more pages and topics.

Drawbacks
- **Vandalism and false information:** Open contribution can result in deliberate or accidental misinformation.
- **Inconsistent quality:** Entries may vary in accuracy, style, and completeness.
- **Organizational issues:** Poor coordination or governance can cause content fragmentation and disputes.

Illustration
- **Wikipedia** — the best-known wiki, run by the Wikimedia Foundation and built by volunteer contributors worldwide.</p>