As a web collaboration and publishing platform, Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware has encountered the challenges of both wiki syntax and WYSIWYG, and has implemented solutions.
Wiki editor |
Advantages |
| Easy to learn | With WYSIWYG, it's easy to get started and do simple things, but more complex styling and layouts are difficult, if not impossible. With Tiki syntax, there's a small learning curve to get started, but the path to doing more complex things is quite manageable. |
| Extensive browser support | Even text browsers are supported. |
| Readable source by default | No extra plugin is needed. |
| Secure | WYSIWYG editor is dependent on host platform/website to provide user rolls, etc. On the other hand, with Tiki, editor permissions can limit to text input only, for example. Tiki's post-installation plugin-free approach avoids external code and its possible vulnerabilities. |
| Flexibly extensible | Tiki's toolbars can be extended by site administrators and editors, to add new buttons that produce any needed styling or layout. |
| Future-proof | Tiki's pages can be exported in wiki syntax (plain text) or HTML format. |
| Fast page load | With the wiki syntax editor, less overhead means faster page loading. |
| Mobile-friendly | Tiki's wiki editor is compatible with all mobile web browsers. |
WYSIWYG problem |
Tiki solution |
| Restricted to available elements and styles | Add tools to the toolbar if available, or use wiki syntax instead, which allows more freedom. |
| Relies on JavaScript or Flash so may have security vulnerabilities | Use of WYSIWYG can be restricted with user and object permissions. |
| Not easily extensible | If WYSIWYG isn't adequate, in Tiki you can use wiki syntax or HTML instead. |
| It's sometimes hard to produce the specific layout and style that you want | HTML syntax can be entered directly, using Tiki's HTML plugin, to create any layout and style. |
Wiki syntax problem |
Tiki solution |
| There can be a learning curve if the author needs to input the syntax manually. | Tiki has editor toolbars, input forms and help screens to minimize the need to remember and enter syntax manually. |
| There are a number of variants of wiki syntax, so syntax might need to be relearned from one editor/platform to another. | Tiki's syntax doesn't need to be "learned" if the editing aides are relied on instead. |