Meza: Difference between revisions
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* '''VisualEditor''' with proper Parsoid integration | * '''VisualEditor''' with proper Parsoid integration | ||
* '''Semantic MediaWiki''' with rebuild capabilities | * '''Semantic MediaWiki''' with property rebuild capabilities | ||
* '''CirrusSearch''' for enterprise search | * '''CirrusSearch''' for enterprise search | ||
* '''Flow''' for modern discussions | * '''Flow''' for modern discussions | ||
* '''50+ other extensions''' with tested configurations | * '''50+ other extensions''' with tested configurations | ||
See more on the [[features]] page. | |||
'''MediaWiki alone''': You'd spend weeks researching, installing, and configuring each extension individually. | '''MediaWiki alone''': You'd spend weeks researching, installing, and configuring each extension individually. | ||
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</syntaxhighlight>Each environment has separate: | </syntaxhighlight>Each environment has separate: | ||
* Configuration hierarchies (<code>/opt/conf-meza/secret/<env>/</code>) | * Configuration hierarchies (<code>/opt/conf-meza/public/<env>/</code> and <code>/opt/conf-meza/secret/<env>/</code>) making it so simple to have development tools and settings for your 'development' environment while your 'production' environment is configured separately. Meza configuration operates with inheritance and overrides. | ||
* Database backups (automated before updates) | * Database backups (automated before updates) | ||
* Deploy locks to prevent conflicts | * Deploy locks to prevent conflicts | ||
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* Search index rebuilding | * Search index rebuilding | ||
* Semantic data rebuilding | * Semantic data rebuilding | ||
* Log rotation and cleanup | * [https://github.com/freephile/meza/blob/dev/src/roles/logrotate/README.md Log rotation and cleanup] for all services | ||
'''MediaWiki alone''': All maintenance is manual scripting. | '''MediaWiki alone''': All maintenance is manual scripting. | ||
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* Unified management | * Unified management | ||
== Infrastructure as Code == | == Infrastructure as Code through Ansible == | ||
Meza uses [[Ansible]] playbooks and role-based configuration to manage complex MediaWiki deployments, rather than manual LocalSettings.php editing. | |||
The actual complexity Meza manages includes: | |||
* 40+ Ansible '''roles''' for different components | |||
* Dynamic path resolution and configuration hierarchies | |||
* Per-wiki configuration directories (/opt/conf-meza/public/wikis/<wikiId>/) with inheritance | |||
* Jinja2 templating for generating MediaWiki configuration | |||
'''vs. MediaWiki''': Manual <code>LocalSettings.php</code> editing (on each node?) possibly with no version control integration. | |||
== Enterprise Security & Scalability == | == Enterprise Security & Scalability == | ||
Latest revision as of 10:16, 24 October 2025
Meza is MediaWiki EZ Administration
For the past couple years, we've been the primary maintainer and have successfully pushed our contributions upstream to NASA.
Why Meza is More Valuable Than Simply Downloading MediaWiki
Enterprise-Grade Deployment Automation[edit]
MediaWiki alone: Manual installation, configuration files to edit by hand, extension management is manual and error-prone.
Meza: Single meza deploy monolith command that orchestrates:
- MediaWiki core installation with proper versions
- 100+ pre-configured, battle-tested extensions
- Automated database setup and updates
- Web server configuration (Apache/PHP-FPM)
- Search integration (Elasticsearch/CirrusSearch)
- Automatic TLS security certificate provisioning
- Full logs and audit trails for change management
Production-Ready Extension Stack[edit]
Meza automatically installs and configures:
- VisualEditor with proper Parsoid integration
- Semantic MediaWiki with property rebuild capabilities
- CirrusSearch for enterprise search
- Flow for modern discussions
- 50+ other extensions with tested configurations
See more on the features page.
MediaWiki alone: You'd spend weeks researching, installing, and configuring each extension individually.
Multi-Environment Management[edit]
# Meza supports multiple environments out-of-the-box
meza deploy production
meza deploy staging
meza deploy developmentEach environment has separate:
- Configuration hierarchies (
/opt/conf-meza/public/<env>/and/opt/conf-meza/secret/<env>/) making it so simple to have development tools and settings for your 'development' environment while your 'production' environment is configured separately. Meza configuration operates with inheritance and overrides. - Database backups (automated before updates)
- Deploy locks to prevent conflicts
Operational Excellence[edit]
Automated maintenance (logged):
- Database backups before each deployment
update.phpruns for all wikis automatically- Search index rebuilding
- Semantic data rebuilding
- Log rotation and cleanup for all services
MediaWiki alone: All maintenance is manual scripting.
Multi-site Architecture[edit]
Meza supports multiple sites in one deployment:
sites: meta, biz, demo, policy
Each gets:
- Separate databases
- Individual configuration
- Shared extension stack
- Unified management
Infrastructure as Code through Ansible[edit]
Meza uses Ansible playbooks and role-based configuration to manage complex MediaWiki deployments, rather than manual LocalSettings.php editing.
The actual complexity Meza manages includes:
- 40+ Ansible roles for different components
- Dynamic path resolution and configuration hierarchies
- Per-wiki configuration directories (/opt/conf-meza/public/wikis/<wikiId>/) with inheritance
- Jinja2 templating for generating MediaWiki configuration
vs. MediaWiki: Manual LocalSettings.php editing (on each node?) possibly with no version control integration.
Enterprise Security & Scalability[edit]
- Multi-server deployments: Load balancers, database clustering, GlusterFS
- SSL automation: Let's Encrypt integration
- Access controls: Fine-grained permission management
- Backup strategies: Automated, tested restore procedures
Time to Value[edit]
- MediaWiki download: Days/weeks to get a production-ready wiki
- Meza: Minutes to deploy, hours to customize
Meza offers a complete enterprise MediaWiki deployment with search, visual editing, semantic capabilities, and operational tooling - all from a single command. That's the Meza value proposition.
