VaultWiki is a web-based wiki software developed by Cracked Egg Studios, that integrates into vBulletin and XenForo forum software. It was first published on June 15, 2008, under its original name CES VaultWiki, at the Cracked Egg Studios web site. Licensing, support, and maintenance is now handled at vaultwiki.org.
Inception
On February 12, 2008, users of the Cracked Egg Studios plugin CES NuWiki Special Pages began approaching the company to take over support of NuHit's NuWiki plugin, which the company was using and whose developer appeared to be defunct. In March 2008, Cracked Egg Studios began accepting preorders for an updated version of both. Betas of a version 2.0.0 circulated for preorder customers during April and May of that year; however, by June, Cracked Egg Studios had completely removed NuWiki as a dependency and instead launched its own competing product CES VaultWiki. CES VaultWiki directly upgraded from CES NuWiki Special Pages, but required an import process to convert any existing NuWiki data.
The product name actually comes from a customer message in the early days, where the user requested that Cracked Egg Studios release "the Vault wiki" for sale. "The Vault" was the name of the part of the company's web site that contained its informational and historical wiki articles about early film and video productions.
The product name actually comes from a customer message in the early days, where the user requested that Cracked Egg Studios release "the Vault wiki" for sale. "The Vault" was the name of the part of the company's web site that contained its informational and historical wiki articles about early film and video productions.
Version 2.x
CES VaultWiki launched with two product tiers, Standard and Premium, which both included a 1-year support and maintenance subscription. The Premium subscription included access to a handful of VaultWiki add-ons, which otherwise had to be purchased separately: CES VaultWiki Categories, CES VaultWiki Special Images, CES VaultWiki Special Xpages, CES VaultWiki Special Xredirects, and CES VaultWiki Parser Extensions.
CES VaultWiki version 2.0.x introduced even-friendlier wiki URLs, improved editor controls, article preview tooltips, wiki read marking, and table of contents controls.
In August 2008, a stripped-down free product called VaultWiki Lite was released on vbulletin.org to give prospective customers a taste of what a wiki could offer. It remained a successful marketing tool for several years.
In September 2008, version 2.1.x added namespace management and wiki page protection options.
In January through April 2009, version 2.2.x added search engine optimization improvements, multi-domain management, CSS templating, and nested wiki templates.
In May 2009, version 2.3.x added a new installer and made performance enhancements.
In July 2009, version 2.5.x introduced hierarchical books, UTF-8 support, MediaWiki imports, improved namespace management, URL formatting, and enhanced performance.
CES VaultWiki version 2.0.x introduced even-friendlier wiki URLs, improved editor controls, article preview tooltips, wiki read marking, and table of contents controls.
In August 2008, a stripped-down free product called VaultWiki Lite was released on vbulletin.org to give prospective customers a taste of what a wiki could offer. It remained a successful marketing tool for several years.
In September 2008, version 2.1.x added namespace management and wiki page protection options.
In January through April 2009, version 2.2.x added search engine optimization improvements, multi-domain management, CSS templating, and nested wiki templates.
In May 2009, version 2.3.x added a new installer and made performance enhancements.
In July 2009, version 2.5.x introduced hierarchical books, UTF-8 support, MediaWiki imports, improved namespace management, URL formatting, and enhanced performance.
Version 3.x
CES VaultWiki was rebranded to VaultWiki, and was moved to its own dedicated web site apart from the Cracked Egg Studios corporate site. The new version launched in January 2010 with support for vBulletin 4.x and the improvements to integration with vBulletin's search, attachment system, and styling that came with it. The separate Premium plugins were combined into the flagship product in the Premium tier, and the individual plugins were discontinued.
Over its life, version 3.x introduced custom URL patterns, a dedicated wiki home page, social group pages, support for multiple languages, greater parity with MediaWiki syntax, a mobile style, and other minor changes.
A planned version 3.1.x eventually became the basis for VaultWiki 4.
Over its life, version 3.x introduced custom URL patterns, a dedicated wiki home page, social group pages, support for multiple languages, greater parity with MediaWiki syntax, a mobile style, and other minor changes.
A planned version 3.1.x eventually became the basis for VaultWiki 4.
Version 4.x
VaultWiki's path to version 4.x was delayed due to numerous external factors, including damage to the studio's sewer system, devastation incurred by Hurricane Sandy, and the strain of these events on Cracked Egg Studios finances.
The first releases of version 4.x were presented to the public in March 2013. Those early releases touted a completely rewritten core package, a redesigned administrative area, more intuitive wiki hierarchy design, sidebar widgets, multiple comments threads per wiki page, improved moderation tools, upload history, one-click installation, IPv6 support, and more.
VaultWiki 4.0.x was the first series to add support for XenForo-based web sites. Throughout the series's lifetime, additional features were added, including: more portable wiki content integration blocks, wiki feeds, custom page icons, optional tiled page listings, and tools for making changes to large numbers of wiki items at once.
In January 2019, version 4.1.x featured tighter integration with XenForo, added a feeds portal, drafts, more moderation tools, more customization for widgets and integration blocks, among other changes.
Version 4.2.x is currently in development. An early build of that series is currently in live use on the Cracked Egg Studios web site.
The first releases of version 4.x were presented to the public in March 2013. Those early releases touted a completely rewritten core package, a redesigned administrative area, more intuitive wiki hierarchy design, sidebar widgets, multiple comments threads per wiki page, improved moderation tools, upload history, one-click installation, IPv6 support, and more.
VaultWiki 4.0.x was the first series to add support for XenForo-based web sites. Throughout the series's lifetime, additional features were added, including: more portable wiki content integration blocks, wiki feeds, custom page icons, optional tiled page listings, and tools for making changes to large numbers of wiki items at once.
In January 2019, version 4.1.x featured tighter integration with XenForo, added a feeds portal, drafts, more moderation tools, more customization for widgets and integration blocks, among other changes.
Version 4.2.x is currently in development. An early build of that series is currently in live use on the Cracked Egg Studios web site.