Ward Cunningham

American computer programmer

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

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Ward Cunningham, an American computer programmer, developed the first wiki software, WikiWikiWeb, in 1995. The name "wiki" comes from a Hawaiian term meaning "quick". This software allows website visitors to collaboratively contribute, edit, and comment on content. Cunningham's innovation was inspired by earlier concepts of linked information and expanded upon them by enabling users to modify each other's text. The most well-known application of this technology is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that relies on community editing and vetting. Wikis are used for various purposes beyond encyclopedias, including creating manuals and personal information organizers.12

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…1995, when American computer programmer Ward Cunningham created a new collaborative technology for organizing information on websites. Using a Hawaiian term meaning “quick,” he called this new software WikiWikiWeb, attracted by its alliteration and also by its matching abbreviation (WWW).
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…1995, when American computer programmer Ward Cunningham created a new collaborative technology for organizing information on websites. Using a Hawaiian term meaning “quick,” he called this new software WikiWikiWeb, attracted by its alliteration and also by its matching abbreviation (WWW).
Read More