Knowhowis

Knowhowis is a neologism used to describe a repository or platform dedicated to practical knowledge and know-how. The term is formed from know-how and the suffix -is, and it appears in discussions about how communities capture and share procedural knowledge across domains. In this sense, knowhowis can refer to either a general category of content—how-to guides, tutorials, checklists, and best practices—or to a specific online platform designed to collect and organize such material.

Conceptually, a knowhowis system emphasizes usability and applicability: content is organized into concise, step-by-step procedures, with safety notes, prerequisites, required tools, and troubleshooting tips. Content is often user-generated and moderated to ensure accuracy, with features such as tagging, version history, ratings, and discussion threads to support updates and corrections. Licenses and reuse policies vary, but many knowhowis-style resources favor open access or community licenses to facilitate redistribution and improvement.

In practice, the term is not widely standardized and may be used differently by communities or projects. It is occasionally employed in theoretical writing on knowledge ecosystems or in branding for educational platforms that prioritize practical instruction.

See also: know-how, how-to guide, DIY knowledge base, open educational resources.