The word "wiki" has many meanings, and it can be hard to determine which meaning an author intends. Here's a short guide to the different meanings, and how to distinguish between them.
- A kind of Web site (a.k.a. a WikiForum)
- Wikis are script-driven Web sites that allow visitors to edit their pages. Not only is everyone a reader, anyone can be an author too.
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- Usage. There are many of these script-driven sites, so "wiki" is not a proper noun, and shouldn't be capitalized: "...the thing I like about wikis..."
- This particular wiki (a.k.a. the WikiWikiWeb, the Wiki, WardsWiki)
- The first and oldest wiki, created and maintained by WardCunningham. The WikiWikiWeb hosts the PortlandPatternRepository, and is an InformalHistoryOfProgrammingIdeas. It is one of several wikis hosted on Ward's domain, http://c2.com/.
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- Usage. When referring to the WikiWikiWeb in particular, the shortened form "Wiki" is a proper noun, hence should be capitalized: "...when I found Wiki's pages on unit testing...". This helps people recognize that you're talking about the WikiWikiWeb in particular, rather than wikis in general.
- The software that runs a wiki (a.k.a. a WikiEngine or WikiClone)
- A CGI script that serves pages, allow edits, and does everything else to run a wiki.
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- Usage. Not capitalized: "...I'm writing an XML/CSS-based wiki..."
- A community
- The people who participate in a particular wiki. This wiki's community is sometimes referred to as "the WikiCommunity", or, collectively, "WikiZens".
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- Usage. Capitalized when referring to the WikiWikiWeb community, otherwise not.
- A concept
- The abstract idea of wiki-ness.
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- Usage. Not capitalized: "Complex markup is un-wiki."
- An activity
- Writing, editing, or refactoring wiki pages.
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- Usage. Not capitalized: "That page wikied away while I wasn't looking."
Note for those new to Wiki (and wikis): don't fret about when to capitalize "wiki". Any mistakes you make will be fixed by a WikiGnome. It's more important that you're aware the word has different meanings.
See WikiIsNotWiki
CategoryWiki
Wiki Has Many Meanings