MediaWiki

MediaWiki at a glance

MediaWiki is the open-source wiki engine behind Wikipedia and countless other wikis, from corporate knowledge bases to community sites. MediaWiki ships releases across maintained (LTS and standard) lines plus coordinated security fixes; as an internet-facing web application, timely patching matters.

For admins the LTS line is the calmer choice for production. Updates run database schema changes (the update script) — back up the database and files first, and read the release notes, since extensions are the usual compatibility stumbling block. Apply security releases promptly, keep the underlying PHP supported, and track the end-of-life of your MediaWiki version. Extensions are the main attack surface — keep them minimal, current and from trusted sources. Harden access (accounts, permissions) and keep the admin off the open internet where appropriate. After upgrading, verify pages, editing and extensions. Patchletter surfaces new MediaWiki releases so security fixes aren't missed.