A wiki is a website designed for collaborative editing, letting many people create, update, and organize content directly in a web browser. Wikis prioritize ease of use and openness: pages can be added or changed without technical expertise, and most track every edit so changes can be reviewed or undone. Common features - **Collaborative editing:** Multiple people can edit the same pages, occasionally concurrently. - **Edit history:** Every modification is recorded with a timestamp and the editor’s identity or IP address. - **Interlinking:** Creating links among pages is straightforward, which helps interconnect content. - **Lightweight markup:** Pages are typically formatted with lightweight markup like WikiText or Markdown. - **Permission settings:** Some wikis are open to anyone; others limit edits to registered users or specific groups. - **Discussion pages:** Dedicated discussion pages enable contributors to coordinate and discuss content. Typical uses - Community knowledge bases such as Wikipedia - Internal documentation and company knowledge bases - Cooperative writing and shared notes - Classroom and educational projects Advantages - **Fast collaboration:** Multiple people can add and refine content quickly. - **Openness:** Visibility into edits and discussions shows how decisions were reached. - **Expandable:** They scale organically as users add more pages and topics. Cons - **Vandalism and false information:** Public editing can lead to vandalism or incorrect information. - **Inconsistent quality:** Entries may vary in accuracy, style, and completeness. - **Organizational issues:** Without clear governance, content may become fragmented or disputed. Example - **Wikipedia** — a well-known wiki operated by the Wikimedia Foundation and written by volunteers around the globe.