---
title: "TikiWiki Overview"
description: "Before we start with TikiWiki, it's a good idea to have a clear view of what it takes to make a basic TikiWiki site. A typical wiki site is like Wikipedia. Many different people contribute to..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/tiki-wiki/tiki-wiki-overview/
date: 2013-01-15
modified: 2023-04-05
author: "InMotion Hosting Contributor"
categories: ["Tiki Wiki"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# TikiWiki Overview

Before we start with TikiWiki, it’s a good idea to have a clear view of what it takes to make a basic TikiWiki site. A typical wiki site is like Wikipedia. Many different people contribute to Wikipedia content. TikiWiki has the same functionality. These courses are designed to walk you through the basic steps in creating a TikiWiki site. The order of the course goes as follows.

## Installing TikiWiki

[![Installing TikiWIki wiki Softaculous](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-1-tikiwiki-softaculous.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-1-tikiwiki-softaculous.gif)

To start with TikiWiki, the program must be installed on your server. You can download the files from the TikiWiki site or [install through Softaculous](/support/edu/cpanel/installing-tikiwiki-softaculous/). We recommend installing TikiWiki through Softaculous because no file upload and database setup is required. Softaculous installs all of the files and database entries for you.

## Logging into TikiWiki

[![How to log into TikiWiki](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-2-tikiwiki-login.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-2-tikiwiki-login.gif)

After installing TikiWiki, you must log in to the administrator dashboard. As a part of the TikiWiki site creation, we will explain [how to log into TikiWiki](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/login-tikiwiki/) and [how to manage the users](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/user-administration-tikiwiki/) in TikiWiki.

## Creating pages and structures TikiWiki

[![Text](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-3-tikiwiki-structure.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-3-tikiwiki-structure.gif)

Once logged in and you know how to manage your admin user, you can create pages. The next steps in this tutorial series are [creating and editing pages](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/edit-create-delete-restore-tikiwiki/) and [creating structures or a table of contents](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/create-structure-tiki/) in TikiWiki. Pages can be categorized into structures that allow topics to be maintained under one category. Because site navigation is so important in wiki sites, creating and editing pages and creating structures are the next required reading.

## Adding and Formatting content

[![Text](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-4-tikiwiki-format.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-4-tikiwiki-format.gif)

Formatting content follows page creation. Pages can be set up aesthetically pleasing using the TikiWIki WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) editor. The required reading in this section is on [How to format TikiWiki page content](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/format-page-content/).

## Changing the appearance

Finally, you can customize your TikiWiki site to look like your own personal site. The standard theme can be changed by downloading a free theme. You can also put your own custom logo in the header of your Tiki site. The last required reading sections are [How to change and upload a theme for TikiWiki](/support/edu/wordpress/upload-change-free-theme-tikiwiki/) and [How to change the TikiWiki logo](/support/edu/tiki-wiki/changing-tiki-wiki-logo/).

| Default Theme | Custom Theme |
| --- | --- |
| [![Text](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-5-tikiwiki-default.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-5-tikiwiki-default.gif)     | [![Text](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-6-tikiwiki-custom-theme.gif)](/support/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/edu_tikiwiki_101_overview_overview-6-tikiwiki-custom-theme.gif)     |

Now that you have a basic overview of the installation and site creation process let’s go to the first step in creating a Tikiwiki site, which is to [install TikiWiki](/support/edu/cpanel/installing-tikiwiki-softaculous/).