2 Open Source Alternatives To Documentation

BookStack is an open-source, self-hosted platform designed to make organizing and storing information simple and efficient. Built with PHP and Laravel, it provides a user-friendly interface for creating and managing documentation or wiki content. BookStack is ideal for teams and individuals looking for a straightforward solution to document management without the complexities and costs associated with other platforms.

• Free & Open Source: BookStack is fully free and open-source, licensed under MIT. The source code is available on GitHub.
• Easy, Simple Interface: Features a WYSIWYG editor and organizes content into Books, Chapters, and Pages.
• Searchable and Connected: Fully searchable content with the ability to link to specific paragraphs.
• Configurable: Customizable options for name, logo, registration, and visibility settings.
• Simple Requirements: Built on PHP and Laravel, using MySQL for data storage. Can run on minimal server resources.
• Built-In diagrams.net: Integrated diagrams.net drawing capability for creating diagrams within documentation.
• Multi-Lingual: Supports multiple languages, thanks to community contributions.
• Optional Markdown Editor: Provides a markdown editor with live-preview functionality.
• Integrated Authentication: Supports various authentication methods including social providers and enterprise solutions like Okta, SAML2, and LDAP.
• Powerful Features: Includes cross-book sorting, page revisions, image management, and a robust role and permission system.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: MFA options like TOTP and static backup codes are built-in and can be enforced per role.
• Dark & Light Modes: Offers both light and dark themes, configurable at the user level.

BookStack is a versatile and powerful tool that simplifies the process of creating and managing documentation, making it accessible for users of all technical levels.

Wiki.js is a powerful and extensible open-source wiki software designed to make documentation a joy to write. Built on Node.js, it offers a beautiful and intuitive interface that simplifies the documentation process for teams of all sizes. Whether you want to host it yourself or deploy it on a cloud provider, Wiki.js provides the flexibility you need to get started quickly and efficiently.

• Easy Installation: Get started quickly with self-hosted or cloud-based installation options.
• Customizable: Tailor your wiki with a wide range of modules that can be turned on or off as needed.
• Authentication: Supports local, social, and enterprise authentication methods, including 2FA.
• Editors: Choose from Markdown, Visual Builder, Plain HTML, and more for content creation.
• Version Tracking: Keep track of changes with version history, compare versions, and export or branch off content.
• Localization: Available in multiple languages with native RTL support and multilingual content capabilities.
• Media Assets: Manage images, code highlighting, diagrams, math expressions, and media players with ease.
• Search: Utilize powerful search options including cloud search and Elasticsearch.
• Storage: Supports various storage options such as Git, enterprise cloud storage, and local/network storage.
• User Management: Manage users, groups, permissions, and page rules effortlessly.
• Themes: Customize your wiki's appearance with dark mode, custom themes, and the ability to inject custom CSS/JS.

In conclusion, Wiki.js is not just about being free; it’s about being open. It invites contributions from the community to add new features and squash bugs, making it a robust and reliable choice for any documentation needs.