In simple English
This is a tool for writing and sharing notes on your own server. You do not need a database to run it. All your pages are saved as plain text files on the disk. It is free to use and easy to back up. You need a web server with PHP (a programming language used to run websites) to install it.
What it is
DokuWiki is a mature wiki engine written in PHP that stores all content in plain text files. It offers access control lists, syntax plugins and a large library of extensions.
What it is good for
Solo builders and small teams who want a fast, self-hosted knowledge base without the complexity of a database setup.
- No database needed, so backups are simple file copies.
- Pages are stored as plain text files, which makes them easy to read outside the app.
- Access control lists let you limit who can read or edit your pages.
- Requires a working web server with PHP configured correctly.
- Older codebase might feel less modern than newer JavaScript documentation tools.
- Manual updates required unless managed through your hosting panel.
Notion or complex database-backed wikis for internal notes
Nginx or Apache web server
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Download the latest zip archive from the official website and extract it into your web server directory.