Wikis are collaborative online platforms that allow users to create, edit, and link different web pages. Derived from the Hawaiian word "wiki" meaning "quick," a wiki enables individuals to contribute and modify content in real-time, fostering a collective effort for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Commonly used for creating and maintaining websites with dynamic content, wikis provide an easy-to-use interface and a simplified markup language for formatting text. This allows users, regardless of their technical expertise, to contribute and update information efficiently. By promoting a democratic approach to knowledge creation, wikis encourage users to build upon the existing content and improve it through collaboration.
One defining feature of wikis is the ability for users to not only add information but also edit or delete existing content. This collaborative editing capability enables a continuous refinement process where errors, inaccuracies, or outdated information can quickly be rectified by the community. Additionally, wikis often provide a version control system, allowing users to review the evolution of a page over time.
Wikis have widespread applications across a range of fields, including education, business, and open-source projects. They provide a platform for collective knowledge-building, project documentation, information sharing, and collaborative problem-solving. Notable examples of wikis include Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia with vast information on various topics, and Wiktionary, a collaborative dictionary.
