Which knowledge base fits your team: Wiki.js or Outline
Choose Wiki.js when your team needs a self-hosted knowledge base under the AGPL-3.0 license, wants to pick its own identity provider from built-in modules, and needs to run in a network without internet access. Its 2.x line supports PostgreSQL, which the project recommends, plus MySQL, MariaDB, MS SQL and SQLite, and the Git storage module can synchronize content in both directions, so a team that wants pages in a version-controlled repository has a supported path. The authentication documentation lists Azure AD, GitHub, Google, Keycloak OpenID Connect, LDAP and Active Directory, generic OpenID and OAuth2, Okta and SAML 2.0 with TOTP two-factor authentication, and sideloading supports environments without internet access. Confirm that the module you need is in the 2.x line you deploy, because the 3.0 line is still beta and the main repository marks it not for production use.
Choose Outline when your editors want a polished, editor-first experience and your platform team already runs PostgreSQL and Redis. Outline requires PostgreSQL 14 or later and Redis 4 or later, at least 512MB of memory, and a dedicated domain with an authentication provider, and it does not offer email and password login, so SSO-only access must be acceptable to your users and administrators. Its community edition is under the Business Source License 1.1, which is not an OSI-approved open source license and forbids offering Outline as a Document Service or hosting it as a service for third parties. SAML is limited to the licensed Business and Enterprise editions, so confirm with Outline whether those terms fit your procurement and legal review before you commit.
The decision turns on four points: the license terms your legal team will accept, whether SAML is a hard requirement (which in Outline means a paid edition), the storage model your backup and recovery process can support, and the timing of Wiki.js 3.0, which you should not plan to run in production until it is released as stable. Ask Outline for the current license and edition terms in writing, and test your identity flow in a staging environment before you choose.
Which platform fits which knowledge base scenario
This table matches common knowledge base scenarios to the platform that usually fits better, and names the condition that makes that true. Read each row as a starting point, then confirm the condition against your identity provider, hosting model and editing habits before deciding.
| Scenario | Better fit | Condition that makes it so |
|---|---|---|
| Regulated internal documentation that must use SAML sign-in | Wiki.js | Wiki.js lists a SAML 2.0 authentication module in its community documentation. Outline's SAML login requires its licensed Business or Enterprise edition, so confirm the SAML module and your IdP settings with the vendor before choosing. |
| Air-gapped or sideloaded deployment with no internet access | Wiki.js | Wiki.js supports sideloading files for environments without internet access and runs wherever Node.js is supported. Outline runs on Unix-compatible systems and needs PostgreSQL, Redis and an external authentication provider, so check that each dependency can be hosted inside the enclave. |
| Teams that want Git-versioned content they can review and back up as files | Wiki.js | Wiki.js offers a Git storage module that synchronizes content in both directions. Confirm how merge conflicts, page moves and attachments behave in your workflow, since Outline's content lives in its PostgreSQL database. |
| Teams that prioritize a modern, fast editing experience for daily writing | Outline | Outline's editing model suits teams that write and collaborate in the browser all day. Pilot both tools with real authors, because editing preference is subjective and depends on your content types. |
| Organizations that may later host the wiki for third parties as a service | Neither without legal review | Outline's Business Source License forbids using the community edition for a Document Service, and its hosting docs say reselling or hosting it as a service terminates license rights. Wiki.js is AGPL-3.0, which has its own network-use obligations, so have counsel review both licenses against your plan. |
| Small team that wants the simplest database footprint | Wiki.js | Wiki.js 2.x supports SQLite and MySQL as well as PostgreSQL, while Outline requires PostgreSQL 14 or later and Redis 4 or later. This matters only if you are comfortable with the lighter database choice for your scale. |
| Team with an established Redis and PostgreSQL platform and an identity provider already federated | Outline | Outline fits teams that already operate PostgreSQL and Redis and have an OIDC or Google, Microsoft or similar sign-in in place. Confirm that the Redis and PostgreSQL versions you run meet Outline's stated minimums. |
| Long-term production use where Wiki.js 3.0 timing matters | Wiki.js 2.x for now | Wiki.js 3.0 is marked beta and not for production use in its main repository, so plan production on the stable 2.x line and confirm the upgrade path before 3.0 is released as stable. |
How Wiki.js and Outline are built and what each means for operations
Wiki.js and Outline both store team knowledge in a database and both need a dedicated hostname, but they ask different things of the platform team. The cards below pair each product's build requirements with the operational work it creates, so you can match the stack to the team that will run it.
Wiki.js runs on Node.js with a database choice
Wiki.js 2.x runs on Node.js and recommends PostgreSQL, with MySQL 8.0 or later, MariaDB, MS SQL and SQLite also supported. The consequence is that the database choice drives backup, upgrade and search behavior, so decide it before content grows. If you pick PostgreSQL, confirm the platform team can run its backups and version upgrades, since the wiki's content lives there. Check the Wiki.js requirements page for the minimum PostgreSQL version before you build the server.
Pg_trgm is required for PostgreSQL search
When Wiki.js uses PostgreSQL, its search module needs the pg_trgm extension to be installed in the database. The consequence is that search fails or stays limited if a DBA builds the database without it, and this is easy to miss in a managed database service that restricts extensions. Ask your DBA to confirm the extension is available and enabled before go-live, and test a search across a few hundred sample pages. This is a check to run in your own environment, not a default you can assume.
Dedicated domain for Wiki.js
Wiki.js requires a dedicated domain or subdomain and cannot be mapped to a subfolder of an existing website. The consequence is that you need a DNS record, a TLS certificate and a reverse proxy rule reserved for the wiki before any pilot starts. Plan this with your network team early, because it affects single sign-on redirect URLs and any certificate automation you already run. Confirm the hostname naming standard with your security team before you request it.
Outline needs PostgreSQL and Redis
Self-hosted Outline requires PostgreSQL 14 or later and Redis 4 or later, so every deployment carries two stateful services beyond the application. The consequence is that you back up, patch and monitor Redis alongside PostgreSQL, and Redis availability affects Outline's behavior even when the database is healthy. Confirm with your platform team who owns Redis persistence and failover before you choose Outline. Both services belong in the same change and capacity plans.
Outline memory and Unix-only hosting
Outline needs at least 512MB of memory, with 1GB or more recommended, and runs only on Unix-compatible systems. The consequence is that Windows-only server standards exclude Outline outright, and undersized hosts make the memory floor the first thing to fail under real use. Ask your infrastructure team whether a Linux node pool or VM template exists that meets the memory recommendation. Size with your expected user count in mind rather than the minimum.
Outline assumes dev-ops experience
Outline's hosting documentation says it requires dev-ops experience to run in production, and it offers Docker and from-source installation with horizontal scaling. The consequence is that a team without container or Node operations skills will own more of the upgrade and troubleshooting work than with a packaged appliance. Ask whether your team can operate Docker or from-source deployments, and who on call can read application logs. Budget that skill gap as a real cost, whether it is covered in-house or by an implementation partner.
What the AGPL, BSL and paid Outline editions mean for your use
Wiki.js is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0. The supplied facts show no paid edition of Wiki.js, so the license terms and the software you download are the same for every user. The AGPL is a strong copyleft license: if you modify Wiki.js and make it available to users over a network, the AGPL requires you to offer those users the corresponding source of your modified version. Running an unmodified copy for your own staff creates no such obligation beyond the license terms that already apply.
- Internal use: Your employees can use Wiki.js for an internal knowledge base without a license fee or a commercial agreement with the project.
- Modifications: If you change the code and expose the changed wiki to users, including contractors or partners, review the AGPL source-offer obligations before you deploy.
- Paid support: Any support, hardening or hosting comes from a service provider you choose, not from a vendor edition.
- Version line: The stable 2.x line is maintained in a separate repository, while the 3.0 code in the main repository is marked beta and not for production use.
- Features: Authentication modules and storage options are part of the open-source distribution as described in the project documentation.
Confirm with your counsel how the AGPL applies to any planned modification, integration or internal distribution, and check the current license text in the project repository before you deploy.
Outline's community edition is published under the Business Source License 1.1. The Business Source License is not an OSI-approved open source license, so the terms differ from AGPL or MIT in ways that matter to procurement and legal teams. The license restricts specific uses rather than granting the full freedoms associated with open-source software. Outline's license text prohibits using the software for a Document Service and for a commercial offering that lets third parties create their own teams and documents.
- Document Service restriction: Running Outline as a product that third parties use to create their own documents is prohibited under the community license terms.
- Hosting as a service: Outline's hosting documentation states that selling, reselling or hosting Outline as a service breaches the BSL terms and automatically terminates license rights.
- Internal use: Deploying Outline for your own employees is the scenario the community terms are written around, but confirm how your use case maps to the restricted categories.
- Change license: The license names Apache License 2.0 as the change license for Outline 1.11.0, with a change date of October 12, 2030. Until that date, the BSL terms apply to that version.
- Standards and audits: A license that is not OSI-approved may need a separate review in vendor onboarding or procurement policies.
Have counsel read the current LICENSE file for the exact version you plan to deploy, including the change date and any use-field definitions.
Outline offers paid Business and Enterprise licenses alongside the community edition. Outline's hosting documentation says these licenses add functionality and guarantees. The feature that matters most for many enterprises is single sign-on by SAML, which Outline makes available only in the licensed Business and Enterprise editions. Community deployments use other sign-in methods such as OIDC, Google, Microsoft Entra or passkeys, and Outline does not support email and password authentication natively.
- SAML gating: If your identity provider standard is SAML 2.0, budget for a licensed edition or confirm that OIDC meets your requirement.
- Guarantees: The documentation says paid licenses carry guarantees, so ask Outline for the written terms that apply to your edition.
- One-time and recurring cost: Licenses are typically recurring agreements, so ask whether pricing is annual, per seat or tiered.
- Quote inputs: Specify the number of users, the identity provider, the hosting model and any required guarantees when requesting a quote.
- Migration: Moving between a community and licensed deployment should be checked against your data migration plan.
Confirm current license pricing, seat definitions and included guarantees directly with Outline before you compare total cost.
The license question changes the decision in different ways depending on your use case. An internal knowledge base for employees is a different legal question from a customer-facing documentation product, a managed service you offer to clients, or a platform you distribute to partners. Wiki.js and Outline both fit internal use, but they carry different obligations once you modify the code, expose it externally, or need SAML. This tab sets out the questions to resolve before you pick a platform.
- Audience: Identify whether readers are employees only, contractors, customers or the public.
- Hosting model: Determine whether you host for your own organization or for another entity.
- Modifications: Record whether you plan to change source code, add plugins or fork the project.
- Identity: Confirm whether SAML is a hard requirement, since Outline gates it to paid editions.
- Version lifecycle: For Outline, note the change date of October 12, 2030 and the Apache 2.0 change license for version 1.11.0.
Before you commit, ask counsel and your vendor to confirm license terms in writing for your exact use case, deployment model and version.
Side-by-side capabilities for an internal knowledge base
This table sets Wiki.js 2.x against Outline on the requirements that usually decide an internal knowledge base: license, database and cache, login options, storage, integrations, and release status. Read each row against your identity provider, your storage policy and your upgrade tolerance, since a single missing feature can change the shortlist. Where a cell says to confirm, check the current vendor documentation before you commit.
| Capability | Wiki.js (2.x stable) | Outline (community edition) |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0, an OSI-approved open source license | Business Source License 1.1, not OSI-approved; hosting it as a service is prohibited, and the change date is October 12, 2030 under Apache 2.0 |
| Minimum database | PostgreSQL 9.5 or later recommended; MySQL 8.0, MariaDB, MS SQL and SQLite also supported | PostgreSQL 14 or later required |
| Cache requirement | No cache requirement listed in the supplied documentation; confirm for your deployment | Redis 4 or later required |
| Email and password login | Not a listed limitation; confirm whether the local provider fits your policy | Not supported natively; sign-in is through an external provider or email magic link |
| SAML | SAML 2.0 module included in the authentication options | Only in the licensed Business and Enterprise editions |
| OIDC | Keycloak OpenID Connect and generic OpenID modules included | OIDC supported in the hosting docs |
| LDAP | LDAP and Active Directory module included | Not listed among the supplied sign-in options; confirm before choosing |
| Git or S3 storage | Git (bidirectional sync in some modules), AWS S3 and DigitalOcean Spaces storage modules | Local file storage or S3-compatible storage; Git storage not listed in the supplied docs |
| Notion import | Not covered in the supplied facts; confirm with the project | Available in all editions from v0.83.0 |
| Integrations | Authentication and storage modules; confirm any additional content integrations you need | GitHub, Linear, Figma, Slack, Jira and webhooks listed in the hosting docs |
| Docker and Kubernetes | Runs wherever Node.js is supported, including Docker and Kubernetes | Docker and from-source installation documented; confirm Kubernetes guidance with Outline |
| Air-gapped sideloading | Supports sideloading files for environments without internet access | Not covered in the supplied facts; confirm before planning an air-gapped install |
| Horizontal scaling | Not covered in the supplied facts; confirm with the vendor for multi-node setups | Horizontal scaling documented; the hosting docs say dev-ops experience is needed for production |
| Release line status | 2.x stable line maintained (v2.5.316, October 2, 2026); 3.0 remains beta and not for production use | Community edition current release v1.11.0, October 12, 2026 |
Moving content from Wiki.js to Outline or the reverse
This sequence moves a knowledge base between Wiki.js and Outline with a known inventory, a tested import, and a controlled cutover. It ends with one authoritative system and a documented record of what did not transfer.
Inventory pages, attachments and link targets
Your wiki owner and an administrator list every page, its last edit date, every attachment, and every internal link that depends on a page path. Wiki.js URLs and Outline document links will differ after the move, so record the links that other systems, tickets or runbooks depend on. Done means a spreadsheet or export that accounts for every page you intend to keep, with stale or duplicate content marked for removal before any data moves.
Export content and record permissions
Export page bodies and attachments from the source system in the format its tooling supports, then separately record who can view, edit and administer each space or path. Wiki.js permission rules and Outline collection memberships do not map one to one, so write down the groups and roles behind each area rather than assuming they carry over. Done means a stored export and a permissions record that someone other than the exporter has reviewed.
Map page hierarchy to Outline collections
The knowledge owner decides how each Wiki.js tree becomes an Outline collection, with nested documents where the hierarchy needs them. Flat Wiki.js paths often need regrouping, and some Wiki.js folder conventions will not describe a useful Outline structure. Done means a signed-off mapping table from each source path to a target collection and parent document.
Rebuild identity mapping and groups
The identity owner maps each source account to its identity in the target. Wiki.js can use LDAP, Active Directory, SAML 2.0 and several OpenID providers, while Outline supports only the sign-in methods listed in its hosting docs, and SAML requires a licensed Business or Enterprise edition. Confirm which Outline authentication path your directory supports before any user is invited. Done means a tested sign-in for each user group and a list of accounts with no match, which you resolve before the pilot.
Run a pilot import on a copy
The migration engineer imports a representative subset, including nested pages, attachments, images and internal links, into a non-production instance. Check how Outline's importers handle your source format, since Notion import is documented for Outline but a Wiki.js source must be confirmed with the vendor before you rely on it. Done means a written defect list with each failure classified as fixable, accepted or blocking.
Cut over with a read-only window
The wiki owner announces a read-only period on the source, the final export runs, and the target import is repeated against that final state. Users are told where to find content and which links redirect or stop working. Done means a reconciliation check of page counts, attachment counts and a sample of critical pages, signed off by the content owner before editing reopens on the new system.
Verify items that do not transfer cleanly
Review page history, per-page permissions, and authentication identities against the mapping from earlier steps, since these commonly need manual handling. Confirm with the vendor and in your own pilot exactly what version history, if any, arrives in the target. Done means a documented exception register that lists each gap and the business owner who accepted it.
Retire the old instance
After the agreed observation period, the administrator makes the source read-only for an archive, backs it up with its database and storage, and then shuts it down on a schedule the owner approves. Keep the export and the exception register with the backup so that audits and later questions can be answered. Done means a verified backup restore test and a closure record naming the retained artifacts and their location.
Where implementation effort runs long for each platform
Most of the Wiki.js effort sits in decisions made before the first page is written. Choose the database early: the Wiki.js 2.x requirements recommend PostgreSQL 9.5 or later, and the PostgreSQL search module needs the pg_trgm extension enabled, so confirm that your database administrators will permit it. Plan a dedicated domain or subdomain, because Wiki.js cannot be mapped to a subfolder, and fix that name before DNS, certificates and SSO redirect URIs are configured. The identity module is the next long step. Wiki.js offers Azure AD, Keycloak, LDAP and Active Directory, generic OpenID and OAuth2, Okta and SAML 2.0 modules, and each one needs its own test login, group mapping and fallback account. Decide the storage module as well: the Git module synchronizes in both directions, so agree on which side is authoritative before go-live. Finally, plan around the version. The stable line is the 2.x series in the Wiki.js 2 releases repository, while 3.0 remains a beta marked not for production use. Ask your team to pin 2.x for the rollout and to schedule any move to 3.0 as a separate project.
Outline's effort is concentrated in identity, licensing and operations. Because Outline does not support email and password sign-in natively, you must stand up an identity provider such as Google, Microsoft Entra, OIDC or passkeys before any user can log in, and that provider becomes a hard dependency for access. If your organization needs SAML, the decision is a licensing one: SAML is available only in the licensed Business and Enterprise editions, so get the quote for that tier in writing before the design is fixed. Obtain a legal review of the Business Source License 1.1 for your intended use, particularly if the knowledge base will be shared with customers or partners, because the license forbids offering Outline as a service to third parties. Operationally, budget time for PostgreSQL 14 or later and Redis 4 or later, including backups, failover and upgrade windows for both, and for scaling horizontally as the user base grows. Outline's own hosting documentation says it requires dev-ops experience to run in production, so confirm that your platform team owns these components before committing to a date.
Questions buyers ask before choosing or hiring help
Does Outline's Business Source License allow us to self-host it internally?
Yes, running Outline for your own staff inside your own infrastructure is the use case the license is built around, but the terms forbid offering it as a service to third parties. The Business Source License 1.1 on Outline's community edition bars using it for a Document Service or a commercial offering that lets third parties create their own teams and documents. Outline's hosting docs add that selling, reselling or hosting it as a service breaches the terms and terminates license rights. Have legal counsel read the Outline license file against your intended use, including any contractors or affiliates who will access it. The license also names Apache License 2.0 as the change license with a change date of October 12, 2030.
What does SAML cost us with Outline in practice?
SAML login is available only in Outline's licensed Business and Enterprise editions, so it is a paid license decision rather than a configuration option on the community edition. Your cost is the license fee, which Outline sets and which you should confirm directly with the vendor for your user count and edition, plus the one-time effort to wire SAML to your identity provider and the recurring effort to keep attribute mappings current. Outline does not support email and password login natively, so you will need an identity provider from the start. By contrast, Wiki.js ships SAML 2.0 as a built-in authentication module in its free 2.x line. Ask the vendor for the written license price and whether it recurs annually.
Is Wiki.js 3.0 ready for production use yet?
No, not as of the facts we have. The main requarks/wiki repository holds Wiki.js 3.0, which its README marks as beta and not for production use. The stable line is 2.x, maintained in the requarks/wiki-v2 repository, where v2.5.316 was published on October 2, 2026. For a knowledge base that needs to be running now, plan on the 2.x line and check the Wiki.js 2 releases page before each deployment. Confirm the 3.0 release status with the maintainers before setting a migration date, because a later move from 2.x to 3.0 would be a separate upgrade project.
How long does a migration to either platform take, and what drives it?
No duration can be stated from the facts available, so treat any number from a vendor or partner as something to verify against your own content. The main drivers are the volume and structure of existing pages, attachments and permissions, how much content must be converted into the target format, and how many identity and storage integrations must be rebuilt. Outline offers a Notion importer available in all editions from v0.83.0, which helps only if your source is Notion. Wiki.js storage can use Git, which can ease content review but adds a repository to manage. Ask for a written inventory of content types, permission rules and integrations before agreeing a timeline.
Can one administrator run Wiki.js or Outline alone?
It depends on your availability expectations, team skills and tolerance for on-call work, and the facts do not support a headcount figure. Outline states that it requires dev-ops experience to run in production, and it needs PostgreSQL 14 or newer, Redis 4 or newer, a dedicated domain and an authentication provider. Wiki.js 2.x recommends PostgreSQL and needs a dedicated domain or subdomain, and it can run on Docker or Kubernetes. A single administrator can handle a small, stable instance, but patching, backups, restores and identity changes all fall on that person. Decide who covers absence and incidents before choosing, and document the runbook either way.
What should an implementation partner's scope include for a wiki project?
A written scope should name the platform version, the hosting target, the database and search setup, identity integration, storage design, content migration, backup and restore tests, upgrade approach and the handover documentation. DeployOpen plans, implements, integrates, hardens, backs up, upgrades and documents self-hosted open-source platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks, and most engagements are fixed-scope with deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before work starts. Ask for the list of acceptance tests, the permissions model to be verified, and who owns the licensing decision. Ongoing support and upgrades are available as retainers. DeployOpen does not publish a price list, so request a quote built from that written scope.
Does Wiki.js support the storage and backup model we need for air-gapped use?
Wiki.js 2.x runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker and Kubernetes and supports sideloading files for environments without internet access, so it can be installed where outbound access is blocked. Its storage modules include Git, AWS S3 and DigitalOcean Spaces, and some modules such as Git synchronize content in both directions. Outline also runs from Docker or source and supports local or S3-compatible file storage, but it needs PostgreSQL 14 or newer and Redis 4 or newer and runs only on Unix-compatible systems. Confirm with each vendor that your offline install path, backup approach and Git or S3 target work inside your network before you commit.
How DeployOpen helps choose and implement a knowledge base
DeployOpen approaches Wiki.js vs Outline as a scoped implementation decision, not a feature race. We plan and implement self-hosted platforms inside your own cloud accounts, data centers or air-gapped networks, so the choice between a Git-backed Node.js wiki and a PostgreSQL and Redis knowledge base is tested against your identity provider, storage and licensing position before work starts.
How we scope
- Written scope covers which platform fits your authentication model, storage target and team workflows.
- Scope records license constraints, including whether a hosted or commercial offering would change your position under each license.
- Engagements are fixed-scope, with deliverables and timelines agreed in writing before any work starts.
- Scope names the content migration sources, page volume and access groups that the knowledge base must support.
How we build
- Deploy the chosen platform in your environment with the database, cache and file storage your standards require.
- Configure sign-in through your existing identity provider, including SAML where the chosen edition or module supports it.
- Test permissions, search, backups and restore paths against the scope before users are onboarded.
- Document each configuration choice, dependency and version so your team can confirm it during security review.
How we hand over
- Handover includes runbooks for installation, upgrades, backups, restores and access reviews.
- Deliverables cover architecture notes, configuration records and the evidence your compliance assessors may request.
- Your team receives the migration report, with a list of content that moved cleanly and content that needs manual review.
- We walk through the upgrade path for the release line you select, including the 2.x or 3.0 decision for Wiki.js.
How we support
- Ongoing support, upgrades and continuous testing are available as retainers after handover.
- Retainers can cover version tracking, so your team hears about release and license changes before they affect operations.
- Confirm with us during scoping which support hours, response expectations and upgrade cadence the retainer includes.
