Wikibase
Wikibase is an open-source software suite for creating collaborative knowledge bases, opening the door to the Linked Open Data web.
Learn MoreWhy Wikibase?
We’re so glad you asked! Take a look at how others use Wikibase, jump right into our Docker quick start and setup instructions or dive deep into our developer resources.
Jump right into our Docker quick start and setup instructions or dive deep into our developer resources.
We’re proud of what our partners achieve with Wikibase. You can become a part of a network of Wikibase and Wikidata users and learn from best practices.
Who is it for?
Any organization can use it to manage and open up their structured data, and many do—in particular, data-minded GLAM organizations across the world. Here’s a sampling of them and their projects using Wikibase.
Libraries
Libraries frequently find Wikibase well suited to their requirements: it provides librarians with powerful collaboration tools with no need for prior in-depth knowledge of linked open data principles.
Research
Wikibase offers the greenfield conditions often needed by collections with large bodies of custom data in order to create an accurate representation of the unique information in their hands.
Science
We see universities and research groups using Wikibase for its flexibility and ease in collaboration, and we see it helping them bring fascinating bodies of information to light.
Collections
Perhaps no subset of Wikibase’s usership leaps as readily to one’s mind as the scientific community: huge amounts of raw data, multiple collaborators, every project’s data structure wildly different and ripe for federation.
Which Wikibase is right for you?
Getting started
We’re so glad you asked! Take a look at how others use Wikibase, jump right into our Docker quick start and setup instructions or dive deep into our developer resources.
For Novices
Never heard of Docker? First time with Wikibase? Is your programming experience limited to Hello World? Then this is the place to find friendly, newbie focused documentation as well as links to the WBaaS install suite, a simple step-through process for setting up your own Wikibase.
For Developers
For experienced users only!
Already a skilled developer with experience in databases and/or Docker? Then this is for you. Find all the expert tips and documentation on how to install and manage your own Wikibase instance.
Additional Support
«I’ve tried everything and I’m all out of ideas!» Don’t despair! The world is full of Wikibase users of all skill types and from here you can find access to the community groups that house them and ways to reach out to them. You can also find WMDE recognised service providers, other projects using Wikibase that are keen to help and other useful resources for all skill levels.
Showcases
Who is using Wikibase and how?
Wikidata
Wikidata is a free and open knowledge graph that contains structured data to support Wikimedia projects like Wikipedia and beyond. Launched in 2012, it is built on the Wikibase software, which enables collaborative editing and management of linked data. It’s worth noting that Wikibase was originally developed specifically to power Wikidata, providing the flexible infrastructure needed to store and organize structured, multilingual, and referenced data. Designed for both humans and machines, Wikidata stores information in the form of statements backed by references, ensuring verifiability and trustworthiness. It is multilingual, allowing users to access and contribute data in many languages, and is interconnected with other databases around the world. All data is released under the CC0 license, making it freely reusable for any purpose.
Evans-Tibbs Archive (National Gallery of Art, US)
The Evans-Tibbs Archive, housed at the National Gallery of Art Library, is a significant collection documenting African American art and artists from 1810 to 1998. To enhance the visibility and accessibility of this archive, the Gallery’s Library initiated a project using Wikibase.cloud. This initiative aims to create structured, interconnected data about artists, their works, exhibitions, and related information within the Evans-Tibbs Archive. The project facilitates Wikibase for linking artists to their artworks and exhibition histories, thereby improving searchability and data management. This approach not only supports the Gallery’s commitment to diversity in its collections and exhibitions but also explores the potential of linked data applications in managing and connecting cultural heritage information.
Enslaved.org
Enslaved.org is a digital humanities project that documents the lives of individuals connected to the transatlantic slave trade. The platform integrates data from multiple scholarly databases into a comprehensive Linked Open Data resource. Utilizing Wikibase, Enslaved.org serves as a linking and reconciliation hub, enabling the consolidation of over a million records related to people, events, places, and sources. This approach allows for the management of heterogeneous data and the connection of information across various knowledge bases.
NFDI4Culture
NFDI4Culture is a German consortium focused on research data related to material and immaterial cultural heritage. As part of this initiative, the Open Science Lab at TIB Hannover plays a key role in developing Wikibase as a software service for managing research data, and their work centers on integrating Wikibase within a broader toolchain. Wikibase is chosen for its open-source nature, active global community, and lower learning curve compared to other knowledge graph tools, while it also enables the transformation of existing research data into Linked Open Data (LOD), enhancing the semantic analysis of text and media.
Rhizome
Rhizome, an art organization based in New York City, was an early adopter of Wikibase, beginning its use in 2015 to support its archive of born-digital art and digital preservation efforts. The flexibility of Wikibase proved ideal for capturing the constantly evolving nature of digital art, allowing Rhizome to manage heterogeneous data, and adapt the schema to new research and new artworks in a contemporary field that has yet to agree on reasonable and practical standards for cataloging.
MARDI
The Mathematical Research Data Initiative (MaRDI) uses Wikibase to construct a comprehensive knowledge graph that interlinks diverse mathematical research data. Accessible via the MaRDI Portal, this knowledge graph integrates over 7 million items and 700 million relationships from various open sources. This approach supports the FAIR principles by assigning persistent identifiers to each linked resource, enhancing the findability and interoperability of mathematical research data. Researchers can utilize the MaRDI Knowledge Graph to discover related datasets, software, or research papers on specific mathematical topics, and explore links between mathematical models, equations, and computational methods through structured queries via an API or the MaRDI KG Query Service.
FactGrid
FactGrid is a collaborative Wikibase platform designed for historical research, operated by the Gotha Research Centre at the University of Erfurt and hosted by the Thuringian State and University Library in Jena. Launched in 2018 with support from Wikimedia Germany, FactGrid enables researchers to contribute structured data without the constraints of notability criteria, fostering original research and transparent scholarly collaboration. The platform has grown to encompass over 1 million items across approximately 50 projects, ranging from Assyriology to contemporary history, supported by around 600 users . FactGrid’s multilingual environment and integration with tools like the FactGrid Viewer facilitate the organization and visualization of complex historical data, making it a valuable resource for the academic community.
Resistance in Belgium
The “Resistance in Belgium” project is a pioneering digital initiative by the State Archives of Belgium which aims to document and analyze the lives of Belgian resistance members during World War II. The project is using Wikibase, to build a sophisticated digital database, now hosting over 43,000 biographical entries, with plans to expand to over 200,000. The platform integrates data from various sources, including personal files and archival records, and offers multilingual access, interactive maps, and SPARQL queries to facilitate research and public engagement. Wikibase’s flexibility enables the project to accommodate complex and sometimes contradictory historical data, providing a nuanced understanding of the resistance movement in Belgium.
MiMoTextBase
MiMoTextBase is a multilingual knowledge graph developed by the Mining and Modeling Text (MiMoText) project at Trier University, focusing on French Enlightenment novels from 1751 to 1800. By using Wikibase, the project integrates heterogeneous data sources—including bibliographic metadata, textual features from primary texts, and scholarly publications—into a cohesive, linked open data framework. The platform’s SPARQL endpoint and built-in visualization tools facilitate complex queries and data exploration, enabling researchers to uncover patterns and connections within the literary corpus. By linking to external resources like Wikidata, MiMoTextBase extends its data through federated queries, enriching the analysis of the French Enlightenment novel and exemplifying the potential of linked open data in digital humanities research.
Qichwabase
Qichwabase is a collaborative digital project dedicated to preserving and modeling Quechua language data using Wikibase. Launched in June 2022, Qichwabase is hosted on Wikibase.cloud and serves as a structured lexicographical database for Quechua. Its primary goal is to model Quechua lexical data as a collection of Wikibase lexemes, with the intention of transferring the dataset to Wikidata once it reaches the desired quality. The platform currently contains over one million structured statements, including lexemes from various Quechua dialects, sense descriptions in multiple languages, and usage examples. By using Wikibase, Qichwabase facilitates advanced linguistic applications such as question answering, dialogue systems, and knowledge validation, and thus enhancing the digital presence and accessibility of the Quechua language.
SNAR (National Library of Nigeria)
The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has established the Semantic Name Authority Repository (SNAR) using Wikibase Cloud to enhance the management and accessibility of authoritative data on Nigerian entities. This initiative aims to create a centralized, structured, and interoperable knowledge base that connects bibliographic and authority records to the global Linked Open Data ecosystem. NLN-SNAR aims to facilitate the organization of information in a multilingual and user-friendly environment through wikibase,, supporting features like RDF and SPARQL for advanced data querying. This approach not only improves the discoverability of Nigerian library collections but also fosters collaboration among libraries, promoting a more connected and knowledge-rich library landscape in Nigeria. AfLIA, African Library and Information Associations and Institutions, hopes to replicate this model with other National libraries in Africa.
data.nlg.gr (National Library of Greece)
Since 2020, the National Library of Greece (NLG) has been exploring the use of Wikibase to enhance the interoperability and reuse of its bibliographic data. Between 2020 and 2022, NLG experimented with Wikibase, adapting its model to align with the RDA ontology. This initiative aimed to establish Wikibase as a shared entity management infrastructure for memory institutions across Greece. In 2022, NLG launched a prototype to publish bibliographic entities of Greek interest as linked open data, facilitating integration with other linked data sources. Wikibase was chosen for its open-source nature, extensibility, multilingual support, ability to annotate statements using qualifiers, user-friendly editing environment, and support for RDF and SPARQL queries. These features make it an ideal platform for developing new functionalities and promoting the reuse and interoperability of NLG’s data.
MyCommunity
My Community, a nonprofit organization in Singapore, is dedicated to preserving the stories of ordinary people through community-run archives. Central to its efforts is the Queenstown community archive, which collects artefacts, photographs, and oral histories to document the area’s rich cultural heritage. To manage and share this growing collection, My Community uses Wikibase Cloud to create a searchable digital archive that enhances accessibility and engagement. This initiative empowers residents to become stewards of their own heritage and aims to develop a scalable model for community archives that can be replicated in other neighborhoods, ensuring the preservation and accessibility of Singapore’s cultural history for future generations.