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The open-source Wiki.js alternative that writes its own docs
Last updated September 9, 2026
Wiki.js is a deservedly popular self-hosted wiki — AGPL, markdown-native, free to run, and its Git module already keeps your content in a repo. But its shipping line has no built-in AI, no first-class agent integration, no real-time co-editing, and the Git module only mirrors what you wrote; it never generates docs from your code. tela keeps the same ownership and adds the parts Wiki.js leaves to you.
tela vs Wiki.js, at a glance
| Feature | tela | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| License | Open source (AGPL-3.0) | Open source (AGPL-3.0) |
| Ask your docs (AI) | Built in — ranked full-text always, plus semantic Ask that cites its sources (self-host brings its own model) | None built in (keyword search) |
| Agents read & write (MCP) | Built in — agents read and write, scoped per token, over a hosted endpoint | No official server (community bridges) |
| Generate docs from your code | Yes — Atlas builds a cited, coverage-checked wiki from git repos and Jira | No — Git module syncs content |
| Live collaboration | Yes — real-time multiplayer on documents and spreadsheets | No real-time co-editing |
| What a page can be | Docs, presentations and spreadsheets are all page types — plus mermaid, drawings and charts | Pages, written in markdown or its visual/HTML editors |
| Publishing to the web | Publish a whole space to the open web — no-login reader, clean /handle/space URLs, RSS and a sitemap | Group permissions; a wiki you can leave readable by guests |
Why teams switch to tela
- Your docs write themselves — Atlas generates a cited wiki from a repo or Jira project and scores it against the code's real surface, naming what it still does not cover.
- Agents are first-class via a built-in MCP server, not community wrappers over its API.
- Ask your docs by meaning, with citations — not just keyword search.
- A presentation and a spreadsheet are page types, not another tool, and they are still markdown in the same Git-syncable folder.
When Wiki.js is the better choice
Wiki.js v2 is mature, has a large module and theme ecosystem, and broad database-backend flexibility. If you want a proven, lightweight wiki and do not need AI, agents, or repo-to-doc generation, it is an excellent no-cost option. (Its v3 rewrite is still pre-release, so the stable choice is v2.)
Frequently asked questions
Is tela a good Wiki.js alternative?
Yes. Your docs write themselves — Atlas generates a cited wiki from a repo or Jira project and scores it against the code's real surface, naming what it still does not cover. tela is open-source (AGPL-3.0), self-hostable, and markdown-native, with a built-in MCP server so AI agents read and write your docs.
Can I self-host tela and connect AI agents to it?
Yes. Self-host tela for free (AGPL-3.0) or start on the free cloud tier. Its built-in MCP server lets agents like Claude search, read and write your wiki directly, on tools scoped by the token you give them.
When is Wiki.js the better choice?
Wiki.js v2 is mature, has a large module and theme ecosystem, and broad database-backend flexibility. If you want a proven, lightweight wiki and do not need AI, agents, or repo-to-doc generation, it is an excellent no-cost option. (Its v3 rewrite is still pre-release, so the stable choice is v2.)
Try tela
tela is an open-source (AGPL), self-hostable team wiki. Self-host it, or start on the free cloud tier at telawiki.com. See the MCP server docs for connecting your agents, or compare tela with other tools.
js.wiki — license, Git sync, editors (verified 2026). tela facts current as of September 9, 2026.