BookStack

Overview of BookStack

BookStack is a comprehensive, open source knowledge management platform designed to simplify documentation and information sharing. Built on PHP with a Laravel framework and MySQL database, this free tool organizes content using intuitive real-world metaphors: Books, Chapters, and Pages. With its MIT license, BookStack offers complete freedom for users to download, install, and customize their own instances without any cost barriers. The platform serves teams, developers, educators, and organizations seeking an alternative to complex wiki systems, providing a straightforward solution for creating and maintaining documentation libraries.

The platform excels in user experience with its simple WYSIWYG editor that eliminates the need for markdown memorization, while still offering optional markdown support for those who prefer it. BookStack supports multiple languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, and many more, making it accessible to global teams. Its powerful search functionality spans across all content, while built-in diagrams.net integration enables quick diagram creation directly within documentation. Explore related tools in Knowledge Base and Collaboration Tool categories.

How to Use BookStack

Getting started with BookStack involves downloading the application from GitHub and deploying it on your preferred hosting environment, such as a $5 Digital Ocean VPS. After installation, configure basic settings like system name, logo, and registration options. Begin creating content by establishing Books as top-level containers, adding Chapters for logical groupings, and creating individual Pages for specific documentation. The WYSIWYG editor allows immediate content creation without technical barriers, and built-in search ensures easy navigation.

Core Features of BookStack

1. Free & Open Source – MIT licensed with no cost for downloading and self-hosting your documentation platform
2. Simple WYSIWYG Editor – Intuitive content creation without markdown knowledge requirements
3. Powerful Search – Comprehensive search functionality across all books, chapters, and pages
4. Multi-language Support – Available in multiple languages including EN, FR, DE, ES, IT, JA, NL, PL, RU
5. Flexible Authentication – Supports OIDC, SAML2, LDAP, and social login options

Use Cases for BookStack

• Technical documentation for software development teams and IT departments
• Company knowledge base for internal procedures and policies
• Educational content management for teachers and training organizations
• Project documentation and team collaboration workspace
• API documentation and developer reference materials
• Self-hosted wiki alternative to commercial solutions like Confluence
• Multi-language documentation for international teams and organizations

Support and Contact

For support, visit the official GitHub repository for documentation and issue reporting. You can also email contact@bookstackapp.com for assistance. The community forum provides additional help for users.

Company Info

BookStack is developed by Dan Brown as an open source project maintained by a dedicated community of contributors. The platform evolves with regular updates driven by user feedback.

Login and Signup

Access the BookStack demo to explore features. For self-hosted installations, download from GitHub and set up your instance.