DokuWiki vs TiddlyWiki

DokuWiki

• Small teams that want a wiki without running a database
• Administrators who value simple backups and maintenance
• Internal documentation that needs access controls at no cost

TiddlyWiki

• People who want their notes in a file they fully control
• Tinkerers who customize a notebook with plugins, macros and filters
• Publishing a small wiki or documentation site as static HTML

DokuWiki

• You install and host it yourself on a web server with PHP. The download page points to partners that offer hosting with DokuWiki pre-installed.
• Pages are written in DokuWiki's own formatting syntax, which editors have to learn.
• The bundled web server option is for 64-bit Windows and is recommended for personal, single-user use only.
• Help comes from the community forum and mailing list; the author asks not to be contacted directly for support.

TiddlyWiki

• The browser's File / Save menu does not save changes; a saving method such as Tiddlyhost or TiddlyDesktop has to be chosen first.
• Notes are written in TiddlyWiki's own WikiText markup; Markdown is available only through an official plugin.
• The iOS and Android apps the documentation points to, Quine and Tiddloid, are published independently of the project.
• The Node.js server does not pick up tiddler files edited on disk while it runs; it has to be restarted.

DokuWiki

No database required

DokuWiki runs without a database server, which the project presents as the reason it is easy for administrators to maintain, back up and integrate.

Plain-text wiki syntax

Pages are written in a readable formatting syntax that covers headings, links, lists, tables, footnotes and media files, with syntax highlighting for code blocks.

Access controls and authentication

Built-in access controls and authentication connectors decide who can read or edit, which the project highlights as useful in an enterprise setting.

Plugins

Hundreds of plugins are available. The download page can bundle popular ones, such as CAPTCHA, Upgrade, Wrap, Translation and Gallery, into the package.

Feeds and interwiki links

A page can pull in data from external RSS and Atom feeds, and interwiki links give quick links to pages on other wikis such as Wikipedia.

Languages and a portable option

The interface comes in dozens of languages, and an optional download adds a minimal Windows web server with PHP for trying DokuWiki or running it from a USB stick.

TiddlyWiki

Single-file notebook

The whole wiki, content and code, lives in one HTML file that opens in a web browser with no install and no external dependencies.

Tiddlers, links and tags

Notes are small units called tiddlers, connected by links and tags. Each tiddler's info panel lists its backlinks and the tiddlers tagged with it.

WikiText and filters

WikiText covers formatting, links, transclusions and macros, and filters build lists of tiddlers by tag or field, such as a glossary.

Plugins

Optional plugins install from the official library or from community sites. The official set includes Markdown, KaTeX, CodeMirror and Highlight plugins.

Built-in encryption

A single-file wiki can be given a password and saved with AES 256-bit encryption, so the file asks for the password before showing any content.

Node.js server edition

Running on Node.js stores each tiddler as a separate file and lets any modern browser, including those on phones and tablets, edit the wiki.

DokuWiki

• DokuWiki$0

  The full wiki engine, downloaded and installed on your own web server. The download can be customized with languages and popular plugins.

TiddlyWiki

• TiddlyWiki$0

  The full notebook as a single HTML file, in the TiddlyDesktop app or on a Node.js server. No account is needed.