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Foswiki

foswiki.org

Free plan WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 8.9 #4 of 33 in Wiki Software

What it is

Foswiki is a free, open-source collaboration platform for teams to share knowledge and edit pages in a browser. It can serve as a document repository, authoring space, content or project management tool, blog, or tracking system. Teams can build applications such as status boards, to-do lists, inventory systems, employee handbooks, and bug trackers. Pages can hold structured data for advanced search, and users can edit them with a WYSIWYG editor, topic markup, or HTML. Foswiki keeps revision history for pages and attachments, with flexible access controls to protect pages. It supports enterprise LDAP and can connect to web APIs such as Google Maps. Its plugin architecture offers hundreds of extensions for added features and third-party application integration. The feature list identifies Cross-Site Request Forgery protection and localized interfaces in 20 languages. It runs on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, and can also run from a USB stick or as a VMware or VirtualBox appliance. Installation is manual, assumes basic server administration knowledge, and requires Perl and required Perl modules; external extension dependencies may need manual installation.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Foswiki is an open, programmable collaboration platform for sharing knowledge and editing pages collaboratively.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Product
Foswiki is an open source collaboration platform where teams can edit pages in a web browser.Read 7 Oct 2026 · github.com
Platforms
The feature page says Foswiki runs on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, including standalone use from a USB stick, and can be deployed as a VMware or VirtualBox appliance.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Deployment
The feature page says Foswiki is available as a software appliance for VMware or VirtualBox.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Free plan
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · github.com
Integrations
Foswiki supports enterprise LDAP and can combine with web APIs such as Google Maps.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Security
The feature page identifies protection against Cross-Site Request Forgery as a security feature.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Support
The feature page points users to IRC for help and lists community consultants who can help install and customize Foswiki.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
License
Foswiki is developed as Free Software under the GNU/GPL.Read 7 Oct 2026 · astrowiki.physics.ox.ac.uk
Access and history
The product supports flexible access controls and revision history for documents and attachments.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Access controls
Pages can be protected with flexible access controls.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Applications
Foswiki can be used to create applications such as status boards, to-do lists, inventory systems, employee handbooks, and bug trackers.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Deployment requirements
The installation guide describes manual installation and assumes basic server administration knowledge; Foswiki requires server prerequisites including Perl and required Perl modules.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Editing
Pages can be edited with a WYSIWYG editor, topic markup, or HTML.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Editing and languages
The feature page lists a WYSIWYG text editor and localized interfaces in 20 languages.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Extension limitation
Foswiki documentation says CPAN and other external package dependencies for extensions are not resolved automatically and may need to be installed manually.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Extensions
A plugin API allows extensions to add functionality; plugins can be installed through the configure interface or command line, and community plugins are independently developed and maintained.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
History
Foswiki keeps revision history for pages and attachments.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Intended uses
The introduction lists document repositories, collaborative authoring, content management, project management, blogs, and tracking tools among Foswiki's uses.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Localization
The feature page says Foswiki has localized interfaces in 20 languages.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
SSO support
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · github.com
Structured data
Users can store data in pages and use advanced search to extract it.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Supported operating systems
The feature page says Foswiki runs on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows, and can run standalone from a USB stick.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com
Version history
YesRead 19 Sep 2026 · github.com
Who it is for
The feature page presents Foswiki as an enterprise collaboration platform and describes use for knowledge sharing and custom wiki applications.Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com

Plans and prices

Foswiki Free Community supported · Self-hosted Read 7 Oct 2026 · foswiki.appx.com

Every Foswiki plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Structured page data can be retrieved with advanced search
  • Revision history covers pages and attachments
  • Supports LDAP and web API integration
  • Hundreds of extensions are available

Limits

  • Installation requires manual setup and server administration knowledge
  • Perl and required Perl modules are prerequisites
  • Extension dependencies may need manual installation

Who it suits

Foswiki suits teams seeking a self-hosted knowledge-sharing platform or a basis for custom wiki applications. It is a fit for people comfortable with server setup and managing extension dependencies.

Verdict

Foswiki combines collaborative editing, access controls, structured data, and extensibility in a free platform. Its manual installation and dependency management are important considerations for teams planning deployment.

Where Specifiction places it

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