What is a wiki?

A wiki (pronounced [wɪkiː], [wiːkiː] or [viːkiː] is a web application that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. The term Wiki also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a website.

Wiki (with an upper case W) and WikiWikiWeb are both used to refer specifically to the Portland Pattern Repository, the first wiki ever created. Wiki proponents often spell 'wiki' with a lower case "w". The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki wiki, meaning "quick" or "informal". Sometimes wikiwiki (or Wikiwiki) is used instead of wiki.

A wiki enables documents to be written collectively (co-authoring) in a simple markup language using a web browser. A single page in a wiki is referred to as a "wiki page", while the entire body of pages, which are usually highly interconnected via hyperlinks, is called "the wiki"; in effect, a very simple database. Wikis can be used with podcasting.

A defining characteristic of wiki technology is the ease with which pages can be created and updated. Generally, there is no review before modifications are accepted. Most wikis are open to the general public without the need to register any user account. Sometimes session log-in is requested to acquire a "wiki-signature" cookie for autosigning edits. More private wiki servers require user authentication when required.

This info was taken from Wikipedia and is freely distributable according to the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (GNU FDL).