Before answering that question, let’s take a look at the etymology of the word “wiki” and learn how Howard G. “Ward” Cunningham came to use the word in association with his software. Wiki is a word from the Hawaiian language which means: quick, hurry, swift, fast, speedy, etc. Also, the Hawaiian language allows for words to be doubled for emphasis (e.g., wiki wiki means very quick, super fast, etc.).

Cunningham started developing the World’s first “wiki” website in 1994. He named his new creation “WikiWikiWeb” and installed it on March 25, 1995 to the domain of his software consultancy (c2.com) as an add-on to the Portland Patten Repository.

The moniker “WikiWikiWeb” was coined by Cunningham after hearing the word “wiki” during his first trip to the Hawaiian Islands and his desire to choose a unique name/word for his unusual technology. After arriving at the Honolulu International Airport, Cunningham was directed by an airport employee to take the “WikiWiki Shuttle” that transports people/baggage between the various terminals.

Both the name and the concept of wiki software have stuck and are part of the technologies used in websites such as Wikipedia.org, Wiki.answers.com and WikiTravel.org.

What characteristics identify a website as using “wiki” technology? The technical response would be a website that allows for non-linear, evolving, complex and networked text, argument and interaction. In layman’s terms, a wiki website is essentially a database for creating, browsing and searching through information.

Cunningham and Bo Leuf, co-authors of the book, The Wiki Way: Quick Collaboration on the Web, described a wiki website as having the following three traits:

Note: On March 15, 2007, “wiki” was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

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