Wikibase

Wikibase is an open-source software suite for storing, editing, and displaying structured, interlinked data. It was developed by Wikimedia Deutschland and is used to power Wikidata and other knowledge bases built on the same platform. The project provides a common data model, editing interfaces, and a scalable storage layer that can be embedded in different communities to manage their own facts and relationships.

The core data model revolves around items and properties. An item represents a concrete thing or concept and is identified by a globally unique identifier. Properties describe attributes or relations; statements associate an item with a value for a given property. Values can be other items, strings, numbers, or more complex data types. Statements can include qualifiers to refine meaning and references to sources.

Wikibase consists of several components: the Wikibase Repository, which stores the data and exposes editing and retrieval APIs; the Wikibase Client, which integrates the repository with front-end applications and languages; and a web-based user interface for browsing and editing. Projects can run their own Wikibase instances to build independent knowledge bases or connect them to a central Wikibase data hub like Wikidata.

Access is provided through RESTful APIs and a dedicated Query Service that allows building complex queries over items and properties. The Query Service supports multi-property constraints, language-aware labels, and exports in formats such as JSON and RDF. Data interoperability is supported by the Wikibase data model, which allows exporting and reusing knowledge across platforms.

Wikibase is released as open-source software and is used by a range of organizations beyond Wikidata. It provides the foundation for collaborative knowledge graphs, enabling communities to curate structured data with citations and provenance.