Gollum

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What Gollum is

Gollum is a free, open-source Git-powered wiki with a local web frontend. Each wiki stores editable text or markup files in a Git repository, with directories for organizing pages. Users can edit through the built-in web interface or an external editor, review earlier versions, and revert changes. Markdown and RDoc are included, while additional renderers can provide AsciiDoc, MediaWiki, Org, and reStructuredText. Listed content features include Mermaid and PlantUML diagrams, citations, CriticMarkup, mathematics, macros, redirects, and an RSS feed of recent changes. Gollum aims to work with GitHub and GitLab wikis that users clone for local viewing and editing, although its project notes that these platforms have diverged. Installation options include a Ruby gem, Docker or Rack, and a Java WAR file. It runs on Unix-like systems and Windows, with JRuby required on Windows. CAS single sign-on can provide basic user support. The MIT-licensed project sanitizes potentially unsafe HTML, while warning that Git-access holders can alter custom files affecting functionality.

Who it suits

Gollum suits teams and individuals who want documentation stored in Git and editable locally or through a browser. It is useful when version history, wiki markup, and self-hosting are priorities.

What it does well

Stores pages in a Git repository
Built-in editing and version history
Supports Markdown and RDoc by default
Can run through Docker, Rack, or WAR
MIT-licensed open source

What to know first

Windows requires JRuby
No page permissions
GitHub and GitLab wikis have diverged
Git access can alter custom functionality

Verdict

Gollum offers a Git-centered wiki with browser editing, history, and multiple markup options. Its lack of page permissions and the security implications of Git access should be considered before deployment.

Facts from Gollum's own pages

Access control: The README describes adding basic user support by running Gollum alongside a CAS single sign-on server with some configuration. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Audience: Gollum is presented as a Git-based wiki that can be used for documentation and edited locally or through its web interface. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Authentication: Gollum can run alongside a CAS single sign-on server, which the documentation says adds basic user support. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Content storage: A Gollum wiki is a Git repository containing editable text or markup files, and pages can be organized into directories. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Deployment: Gollum can be installed as a Ruby gem, run through Docker or Rack, or launched from a Java WAR file. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Editing and history: Pages can be edited in the built-in web interface or with an external editor, and users can view earlier versions and revert changes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Features: The project lists Mermaid and PlantUML diagrams, citations, CriticMarkup annotations, mathematics, macros, redirects, and an RSS feed of recent changes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Git wiki compatibility: Gollum strives for compatibility with GitHub and GitLab wikis and says users can clone those wikis to view and edit them locally. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Installation: The README documents installation as a Ruby gem, running through Docker, or launching a downloadable WAR file with Java. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Integrations: Gollum can run with a CAS single sign-on server and with any Rack-compatible web server. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Known limitation: The wiki notes that Gollum and GitHub wikis have diverged and says there are significant differences between the two platforms. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Markup: Gollum ships with Markdown and RDoc support, and additional renderers can enable formats including AsciiDoc, MediaWiki, Org, and reStructuredText. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Notable limitation: The project wiki says Gollum and GitHub wikis have diverged and notes that there is no live demo yet, with plans tracked as an issue. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Open-source license: The repository identifies the project license as MIT. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Operating systems: The project says Gollum runs on Unix-like systems and Windows; Windows requires JRuby. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Page sanitization: The wiki documentation says custom CSS, JavaScript, and potentially dangerous or unknown HTML markup are stripped from generated pages. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Purpose: Gollum is a simple, Git-powered wiki with a local frontend. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Rich content: The project lists Mermaid and PlantUML diagrams, BibTeX and citation support, CriticMarkup annotations, mathematics, macros, redirects, and an RSS feed of recent changes. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Security: The security documentation says Gollum uses Loofah’s default whitelist to filter potentially insecure HTML, and that its behavior can be changed in the configuration file. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Security limitation: The security page cautions that someone with Git access can change custom CSS, JavaScript, or MathJax configuration files and thereby change application functionality. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
SSO support: Yes · github.com, 20 Sept 2026
Storage model: A Gollum wiki is a Git repository containing human-editable text or markup files, with pages organized into directories. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Support and documentation: The project points users to its wiki for extensive documentation and to the contribution guide for submitting issues and getting started with development. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
Supported systems: Gollum runs on Unix-like systems and Windows; on Windows it runs only with JRuby. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026

Where Gollum stands on Freedom251

Knowledge base software#65 of 138
Wiki Software#16 of 33