Wiki

Synonyms:
See also:
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A wiki is a collection of web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. The collaborative encyclopedia, Wikipedia, is one of the best-known wikis.

Karen Hellekson gave a presentation on fan wikis at SFRA 2008 entitled SF fan wikis: source, reference, world.

Usage note

It is common to see people using the term 'wiki' to refer to Wikipedia, a practice that annoys many users of other wikis no end.

Wikis as Fanworks

One acafan writes of wikis (using a Battlestar Galactica wiki as an example) as creative force: "... creativity and wikis, since I equated them... to library science -- a profession, however noble, ... isn't often associated with the term 'creative.' While... wiki users are not engaged in fan vid creation, icon production, or fan fic drabbling, they are still writing about beloved characters, items and practices. In fact they are interacting the text not just though what one Blich or Jenkins might call 'collecting,' 'mastering' or 'conquering,' but are engaging in a creative process requiring an intimacy with the text and a creative outlet... Cristobal Garcia mentions myths of creativity, listing three fallacies "1. Creativiy cannot be managed, 2. Is only in the arts, 3. Is a lonely process,' he notes instead that 'creativity' is a social and group phenomenon, that can be stimulated and fostered through virtual, physical, and psychological space. I'd like to take this a step further and suggest that the Wiki, while upon first glance appears quite standardized and unmovable, is actually a discursive space for posting and sharing not only facts and images but ideas and perspectives."

Fannish Wikis

Many popular fandoms have their own wikis.

• DC Comics: DC Comics Database
• Discworld & Terry Pratchett: Discworld & Terry Pratchett Wiki
• Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Wiki
• Farscape: Farscape Encyclopedia Project wiki
• Final Fantasy: Final Fantasy Wiki
• Firefly: FireflyWiki.net (previously .org), The Firefly and Serenity Database
• Forever Knight: Forever Knight Wiki
• Fringe: Fringepedia
• Harry Potter: HarryPotterWiki, Unknowable Room Wiki, LeakyPedia, Harry Potter Wiki at Wikia, German Harry Potter Wiki
• Lost: Lostpedia
• Marvel Comics: Marvel Database
• Marvel Cinematic Universe: Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
• Merlin: Merlin Wiki
• Perry Rhodan: Perrypedia (German)
• Pokémon: Bulbapedia, Pokémon Wiki
• Smallville: Smallville Wiki
• Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis: Stargate Wiki, Stargate Wiki at wikia
• Star Trek: Memory Alpha
• Star Wars: Wookieepedia
• Supernatural: Supernatural Wiki
• Temeraire: Temeraire Wiki, German Temeraire Wiki
• Transformers: TFWiki.net
• Twilight: Twilight Saga Wiki
• X-Files: The X-Files Wiki, Spookyverse - ein Akte X, Millennium und Die einsamen Schützen Wiki (German)
• ConimationWiki, was a Wiki based Wiki about German animanga conventions (German)

Multifandom and Pan-Fandom Wikis

• Anime: Anime-Wiki.org, Animepedia
• Cosplay: Cosplay Wiki
• Fandom Wank: Fandom Wank Wiki
• Filk: Filk Discography Wiki
• Shipping: Shipping Wiki
• Fandom: Fanlore, Fan History Wiki, The Directorium, FanPolis
• Tropes: TV Tropes

Wiki hosting

One common host of fannish wikis is Fandom (formerly Wikia, Inc.), a free hosting service that has had some bad PR relating to intrusive ads, dodgy acquisition practices, and compulsory redesign of the layout. Nevertheless it is a frequent choice especially in animanga and gaming fandoms. Among the largest fannish wikis hosted on wikia are Wikianswers Anime, Jedipedia (a German Star Wars wiki), Wikia Gaming, Final Fantasy Wiki, and Manga Wiki.

Please see Wikia hosted wikis project vs. self-hosted wikis for more information.

Miraheze is a nonprofit, free wiki hosting service that can be an alternative to Fandom.