Wikibase/What is Wikibase

What is Wikibase?
Wikibase is a robust extension to MediaWiki that lets you store data in a structured and queryable way.

If that sounds like a database to you, that's because Wikibase *is* a database -- one that can interact and share data with other Wikibases, including Wikidata.

Where did Wikibase come from?
Wikibase started life as the data-storage backend for Wikidata. Then we realized that many people and organizations wanted to build their own Wikidata and join the Linked Open Data web, a network of specialized data sources that share with and learn from each other. So in 2019 we made Wikibase a product in its own right.

What does Wikibase consist of?
Wikibase is a MediaWiki extension written in PHP that adds structured-data functionality to MediaWiki. It relies on a relational database backend (currently only MySQL and its workalikes) and is often used with Elasticsearch, QuickStatements and the Wikidata Query Service.

For more information, refer to the Wikibase architecture overview and its accompanying diagram.

Why would I want to use Wikibase?

 * You want to make a knowledge base like Wikidata, but you want to have control over exactly who can edit it.
 * You have a body of data that can't be classified as general-purpose, making it unsuitable to add to Wikidata.
 * You've heard of Wikibase and you want to give it a try, but setting it up locally isn't feasible for you. A cloud-based Wikibase might suit your needs.
 * You have a body of data. You want an expedient way to set up a Linked Open Data demo of your data, so that you can attract attention and/or investment for your project.

If you have more data than you know what to do with and more questions than a trial run can answer, we welcome you to contact our [mailto:swe_partnerships@wikimedia.de data partnerships team] for a chat.

How can I get started with Wikibase?
Easy! Take a look at our quick start for two easy ways to try out Wikibase.