Xenforo-Wiki Integration

[=MGN=RedEagle]

I’m looking to start a wiki but I don’t want to force my users to sign up on a separate wiki. What’s the best way to run a wiki and leverage my already-existent Xenforo user base?

 

[ForestForTrees]

I use MediaWiki with my XenForo site and love it. As you may know, it's the same software that powers Wikipedia and is open source and free. It is tremendously powerful and not hard to extend. SEO-wise, we all know that Google seems to like Wikipedia.

If you want a truly powerful wiki system that you can skin and customize, I highly recommend it. I'd be happy to share our extension list if you like. You can find our site by googling TMS Wiki.

The following extension is designed to bridge the Mediawiki and XenForo user databases:
https://xenforo.com/community/resources/schmitzit-xenforo-mediawiki-bridge.15/

 

[Digital Doctor]

I’m looking to start a wiki

Great idea. Read the Native wiki thread and post some of your thoughts.

but I don’t want to force my users to sign up on a separate wiki.

Great idea.

What’s the best way to run a wiki and leverage my already-existent Xenforo user base?

Solution: vaultwiki.

vaultwiki is superior in all respects vs. Mediawiki.
Better UI, better integration to Xenforo.
You can use the native Xenforo editor that people are familiar with.

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/vaultwiki-lite.3005/
https://xenforo.com/community/resources/vaultwiki.1959/

Wikis create excellent content. Google loves wiki content.

 

[Alpha1]

Vaultwiki.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

I also have used VaultWiki for projects and can recommend it over MediaWiki if your concerns are to integrate it into xF.

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

Is there a way to use vault wiki on a sub domain or sub section and still have user logins integrated?

 

[Alpha1]

Yes, ask @pegasus

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

Thanks for the info all. I used it to make a wiki and it's going great!

 

[cdub]

Thanks for the info all. I used it to make a wiki and it's going great!

can you post a link? I'm trying to decide if a wiki will work for my site?

 

[ForestForTrees]

If you Google TMS Wiki, our wiki will be the top result (hint: it's a .org). As mentioned above, it's the same software that Wikipedia runs and we love how powerful and customizable it is.

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

can you post a link? I'm trying to decide if a wiki will work for my site?

I will pm you. I went with mediawiki and it turned out good but only cause my forum has techies. For forums with non-techie you will want vaultwiki.

 

[ForestForTrees]

Yeah, I hear you about the non-techies, as my forum is mostly non-techies. We started our wiki on a platform called WetPaint (now WikiFoundry), which was nice because it was fully graphical. We eventually moved away from it because the vendor wasn't supporting it well and we needed a more powerful system. The new system is far better.

I found that if people wanted to edit, they would edit and if they didn't want to edit, they wouldn't. The type of wiki editor you want to have will have patience, flexibility, and commitment. Having some small technical hurdles can help weed out the type of people who always want to get their way but don't want to put any effort in. About 144,000 registered users edit the English Wikipedia every month, so obviously the hurdle isn't terribly large.

Also, for anyone who has a VPS or better, the new visual editor is worth checking out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:VisualEditor

 

[ForestForTrees]

By the way, for anyone reading this, as an experienced wiki admin, the hardest part, at least for me, of maintaining a wiki, is maintaining interest and involvement with the wiki. People need to use it regularly to care enough about it to be willing to update it.

I think the key in this is making people actually use the wiki, which they won't necessarily do if it's just a link at the top of the page. OTOH, an addon like the following could help a lot:
https://xenforo.com/community/resources/keyword-replace-by-waindigo.635/

When people see hyperlinks in posts to wiki pages, they will start caring more about the wiki pages and will want to contribute. Hence, if you add a wiki, you might want to add a keyword to link replacer as well.

Just an idea...

 

[=MGN=RedEagle]

By the way, for anyone reading this, as an experienced wiki admin, the hardest part, at least for me, of maintaining a wiki, is maintaining interest and involvement with the wiki. People need to use it regularly to care enough about it to be willing to update it.

I think the key in this is making people actually use the wiki, which they won't necessarily do if it's just a link at the top of the page. OTOH, an addon like the following could help a lot:
https://xenforo.com/community/resources/keyword-replace-by-waindigo.635/

When people see hyperlinks in posts to wiki pages, they will start caring more about the wiki pages and will want to contribute. Hence, if you add a wiki, you might want to add a keyword to link replacer as well.

Just an idea...

Amazing idea!

 

[Glockie]

I too am looking at building a wiki, just trying to work out the key differences between this and media wiki? (novice media wiki users..sorry.. Besides design, what else can I achieve with it and can I use the XF tags with this?