Wiki hosting service facts for kids
A wiki hosting service helps people create their own wiki websites easily. Think of it like a special online service that gives you the tools and space to build your own wiki without needing to be a computer expert. These services are also called wiki farms.
Before wiki farms existed, if you wanted to start a wiki, you had to set up all the software and manage the computer servers yourself. This was a lot of work! With a wiki farm, the company or group running the farm does all that hard work for you. They install the main wiki program once. Then, they create a special area on their computers for your wiki's content. This means many different wikis can run smoothly using the same main program.
You can find both free and paid wiki hosting services. Many free services show advertisements to make money. If you don't want ads, you can often pay a small monthly fee. While most wiki farms let anyone start a wiki, some might have rules about who can join.
Some well-known examples of wiki hosting services include Fandom and Miraheze. Fandom is a company that started in 2004. It was created by Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley Starling. Miraheze is a service that doesn't aim to make a profit. It was started by John Lewis and Ferran Tufan.
What is a Wiki?
A wiki is a type of website that lets many people work together to create and edit content. The most famous example is Wikipedia. On a wiki, users can easily add new information, change existing text, or fix mistakes. It's like a shared online notebook where everyone can contribute.
How Do Wiki Farms Work?
Wiki farms use powerful computers called servers to store all the wiki information. When you create a wiki on a wiki farm, they give your wiki its own space on these servers. All the wikis on the farm share the main software that makes a wiki run. This makes it much simpler and cheaper for people to start their own online communities or knowledge bases.
Why Use a Wiki Hosting Service?
- Easy to Start: You don't need to know how to code or set up complex software.
- Less Hassle: The hosting service takes care of keeping the wiki running and safe.
- Cost-Effective: Many services are free or have low costs compared to running your own server.
- Community Building: It's a great way for groups of people to share information and work together on topics they care about.
