WikiTok
| WikiTok | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Isaac Gemal |
| Initial release | February 3, 2025 |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | TypeScript, JavaScript |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Platform | Web application |
| Available in | 14 languages |
| Type | Web application, Educational software |
| License | MIT License |
| Website | wikitok |
WikiTok is a web application that shows random Wikipedia articles in an infinite scrolling format similar to TikTok. Created by New York-based civil and software engineer Isaac Gemal in February 2025, the application aims to provide an "anti-algorithmic" alternative to traditional social media platforms while combating doomscrolling.
Development
[edit]WikiTok was developed on February 3, 2025, after Gemal saw a viral tweet from developer Tyler Angert proposing "all of wikipedia on a single, scrollable page".[1] Gemal created the initial prototype in approximately two hours, using the Claude LLM and Cursor coding editor, completing it by 2 a.m. that same night.[2]
The application was built with React 18, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and Vite, consisting of only a few hundred lines of code with no backend infrastructure.[3] Gemal has made the project open-source, with the code publicly available on GitHub.
Functionality
[edit]WikiTok serves users completely random Wikipedia article snippets from Wikipedia's nearly 9.5 million[citation needed] entries. Each article preview includes a full-screen image from Wikipedia and a short text excerpt. Users can click "Read More" to access the full Wikipedia article, or continue scrolling to see the next random entry.
The application functions as a progressive web app that can be downloaded as a hybrid between an app and a website. It works on both mobile and desktop browsers, and is designed to be responsive whether users scroll with their thumb on mobile devices or use a cursor on desktop computers. As of 2025, WikiTok supports 14 different languages for article translation.[4]
Philosophy
[edit]Gemal has explicitly positioned WikiTok as "anti-algorithmic," resisting numerous requests to implement personalized content algorithms. In an interview with Business Insider, Gemal stated: "I have had plenty of people message me and even make issues on my GitHub asking for some insane crazy WikiTok algorithm... we're already ruled by ruthless, opaque algorithms in our everyday life; why can't we just have one little corner in the world without them?"[1]
The application aims to combat "doomscrolling" – the practice of mindlessly consuming negative news online that can cause anxiety, helplessness, and anger. Unlike traditional social media platforms, WikiTok deliberately excludes algorithms, advertisements, and user tracking.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Gemal, Isaac (13 February 2025). "I Made a Viral Infinite Wikipedia Page for Those Tired of Algorithms". Business Insider. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "An infinite Wikipedia scroll I created in mere hours went viral". AOL. 13 February 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ Gemal, Isaac (4 February 2025). "wikitok". GitHub. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "Wikipedia offers TikTok-style content". Bitfinance. 18 February 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.