Wiki.js is a modern, open-source wiki application designed for ease of use, high levels of customization, and complete control over your data. It's a fantastic choice for self-hosting due to its robust feature set, support for various databases, and user-friendly interface. In this guide, we’ll walk through the process of deploying, configuring, and managing a self-hosted instance of Wiki.js, including installation, reverse proxy setup, logging, backups, and unique feature utilization.
Installing Wikijs
📦 Docker/Docker Compose Setup
Docker is the easiest and most efficient way to deploy Wiki.js. Below is a sample docker-compose.yml file to get started:
version: '3'
services:
wikijs:
image: requarks/wiki:latest
container_name: wikijs
restart: always
ports:
- "3000:3000"
volumes:
- ./data:/data
environment:
DB_TYPE: postgres
DB_HOST: db
DB_PORT: 5432
DB_USER: wikijs
DB_PASS: wikijs_password
DB_NAME: wiki
db:
image: postgres:13
container_name: wikijs-db
restart: always
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: wikijs
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: wikijs_password
POSTGRES_DB: wiki
volumes:
- ./db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
Save the above file as docker-compose.yml and bring the stack up using the following commands:
mkdir wikijs && cd wikijs
nano docker-compose.yml
docker-compose up -d
This will spin up Wiki.js and a PostgreSQL database. Access it via http://<your-server-ip>:3000.
🚀 Manual Installation
For manual installation on Linux:
- Install dependencies:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
- Clone the Wiki.js repository and install:
git clone https://github.com/Requarks/wiki.git
cd wiki
npm install
- Configure Wiki.js by editing
config.yml(you'll need to configure your database, port, etc.) and start the server:
node server
Access Wiki.js at http://<your-server-ip>:3000.
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
🌐 Nginx Configuration
To serve Wiki.js via Nginx, create a new server block:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/wikijs
Add the following configuration:
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:3000;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
}
}
Enable the configuration and reload Nginx:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/wikijs /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
🔒 SSL/TLS Setup
Secure your Wiki.js instance with Let's Encrypt:
sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
Automate certificate renewals by adding this to your crontab:
0 3 * * * certbot renew --quiet
🛠️ Testing and Reloading Nginx
Test your configuration and restart Nginx to apply changes:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Logging and Debugging Wikijs
🗃️ Enabling Debug Logs
Enable debug logs for Wiki.js by editing the config.yml file:
log:
level: debug
Restart your instance for the changes to take effect:
docker-compose restart wikijs
📄 Viewing Logs
If running via Docker, view logs with:
docker logs -f wikijs
For manual installations, check logs in ./logs/ or the directory specified in your config.yml.
🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues
-
Database Connection Errors: Ensure database credentials in
config.ymlmatch your setup. -
Port Conflicts: Verify Wiki.js is running on an unused port or adjust the
portssection indocker-compose.yml.
📤 Exporting Logs
Export logs to an ELK Stack by configuring Logstash or forwarding logs via syslog. For example, you can use Docker logging drivers:
docker run --log-driver=syslog --log-opt syslog-address=udp://<elk-server-ip>:514 requarks/wiki
Backup and Restore
🗂️ File-Based Backups
For Docker-based setups, backup the data and db directories:
tar -czvf wikijs-backup.tar.gz ./data ./db
🔄 Database Backups
Use pg_dump to back up the PostgreSQL database:
docker exec -t wikijs-db pg_dump -U wikijs -F c wiki > wikijs-db-backup.sql
Restore it with:
docker exec -i wikijs-db pg_restore -U wikijs -d wiki < wikijs-db-backup.sql
📅 Automated Backup Scripts
Set up a cron job for periodic backups:
crontab -e
Add the following line:
0 2 * * * docker exec -t wikijs-db pg_dump -U wikijs > /path/to/backups/wikijs-$(date +\%F).sql
Updating and Upgrading Wikijs
⬆️ Updating Docker Images
Update Wiki.js to the latest version with:
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d
🛠️ Manual Updates
If installed manually, pull the latest code and rebuild:
git pull
npm install
node server
🔍 Checking for Updates
Visit Wiki.js’s GitHub repository or documentation to verify the latest version. For Docker users, use:
docker images | grep requarks/wiki
Leveraging Wikijs’s Unique Features
🔧 Enabling APIs
Activate the API in config.yml:
api:
enabled: true
authentication: true
Access the API at http://<your-server-ip>:3000/api. For example, retrieve page details with curl:
curl -X GET "http://<your-server-ip>:3000/api/pages" -H "Authorization: Bearer <your-token>"
🌟 Advanced Configurations
Enable advanced features like authentication providers (e.g., LDAP, OAuth) in the admin panel under "Authentication". Alternatively, configure them directly in config.yml:
auth:
strategies:
- provider: google
clientId: <your-client-id>
clientSecret: <your-client-secret>
Wrapping Up
By following this guide, you've successfully deployed, configured, and secured a Wiki.js instance. With its robust feature set and customization options, Wiki.js provides full control over your documentation needs. Begin exploring its unique functionalities and make it your go-to self-hosted wiki solution!
