Controlling user access for edit pages in DokuWiki

DokuWiki by default allows all visitors of the site to edit your wiki pages. In some cases, random users can deface your wiki site and delete your pages. The image to the right will show the edit options available for any visitor on the site.

To prevent only certain users for editing the site, you can use the “Access Control List Management” in the Administration section of your DokuWiki to change the permissions of the users. This article will explain how to set the permissions for all visitors to read only and how to set specific uses to be allowed to edit the wiki.

Brief Outline of Permissions

Below is a table with a brief explanation of what each permission is for. The higher permissions will also include the lower permissions. For example, the Create permission will also allow the Read and Edit permission.

User Permissions in DokuWiki
NamePermission Description
1 NoneWiki is not accessible at all
2 ReadThe wiki can be Read Only
3 EditCan read and edit pages that are all ready created
4 CreateAllows Pages and Namespaces to be created
5 UploadAllows media to be uploaded to pages
6 DeleteMedia files can be overwritten or deleted
7 AdminRestricted to the Admin user

Changing permissions for all users on DokuWIki

  1. Log into DokuWiki.
  2. Click the Admin link at the top right.

  3. Select the Access Control List Management link.

  4. Towards the bottom in the list of “Current ACL Rules“, To restrict all users from editing, select the “Read” radio button and click update.

    Now when visiting the site as a regular visitor, you will see the Edit features not available anymore..

Allowing certain registered users the Edit capability

  1. Log into DokuWiki.
  2. Click the Admin link at the top right.
  3. Select the Access Control List Management link.
  4. Select the “Root” directory in the Access Control List.

  5. In the “Permissions for” section, Select “User” and enter the username to allow access to edit.

    Click Select.



  6. In the Add new Entry box, select the “Edit” radio button and click Save.

    Now only the users that you add to the edit permission to will be allowed to edit any pages.


This concludes the user permissions tutorial.

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