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[[File:What is Cloud Services? poster.pdf|alt=A Poster showing some Wikimedia Cloud services statistics and services|thumb|upright=1.3|Poster-format overview]]
Welcome to Wikimedia Cloud Services (WMCS)!
'''Wikimedia Cloud Services (WMCS)''' provides tools, services, and support for technical collaborators who want to contribute to Wikimedia software projects. Use Cloud Services to host your software tools for the [[meta:Special:MyLanguage/Wikimedia movement|Wikimedia movement]], without charge.


== What can you do with Cloud Services? ==
WMCS is a flexible computing ecosystem built on [http://www.openstack.org/software/openstack-compute/ OpenStack], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_Grid_Engine GridEngine], and [https://kubernetes.io/ Kubernetes]. We empower technical contribution to the Wikimedia software world.


=== Host tools on Wikimedia servers ===
Support and administration of the WMCS resources is provided by a [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Cloud_Services_team WMF team] and volunteers.
{{anchor|Toolforge|reason=Old section name.}}


Tools and bots make it easier to edit and maintain Wikimedia projects. For developers who support Wikimedia projects by developing tools and bots, '''[[Help:Toolforge | Toolforge]]''' provides the following features:
== History ==
* Free, reliable, and scalable shared hosting, including web servers, databases and other data storage
WMCS has been known as Wikimedia Labs until March 2nd 2017.
* A distributed job processing system
* Support for multiple users to collaboratively maintain and manage tools


To use Toolforge you need:
The "Labs" nomenclature became [[Labs labs labs|overloaded]] and often required clarification about what component of the ecosystem was being referred to. The "Labs" team and the Tool Labs Support team have joined forces as the Wikimedia Cloud Services team and are launching a campaign to improve the language and branding surrounding products and services offered.
* Some programming knowledge
* An understanding of Unix command line


To get started, visit [[Help:Toolforge]]. Or, [https://developer.wikimedia.org/build-tools/ learn more about creating bots].
Eventual final branding and renaming is open for [https://wikitech.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:BryanDavis/Rebranding_Cloud_Services_products discussion]. Working titles are now in use across some documentation. The Labs environment for running your own virtual instances is being referred to now as VPS and Tool Labs/Tools which is the PaaS environment is now being referred to as Tools Forge.


=== Run scripts and visualize data ===
== WMCS Products ==
{{anchor|PAWS|reason=Old section name.}}
* [[Portal:Wikimedia Labs|Virtual Private Servers ('''VPS''')]] for users to develop and maintain projects that help Wikimedia.
'''[[PAWS]]''' is a Jupyter notebook installation hosted by Wikimedia. PAWS notebooks can be used for creating tutorials, running live code, creating data visualizations, running basic bots, and more.
* [[Portal:Tool Labs|Tools Forge Platform as a Service]] ('''PaaS''') environment for running bots, webservices, scheduled jobs, and doing analysis
* [[Portal:Data as a Service|Data as a Service]] ('''DaaS''') offerings that include a real-time and sanitized production database replica, and NFS access to [[Dumps.wikimedia.org|Wikimedia Dumps]]


A single PAWS notebook is maintained by a single user, but they can be downloaded and forked by other users. To use PAWS you need only a Wikimedia login and a web browser. Knowledge of Python is helpful, but not required.
== What Product Should I Use ==


=== Administer servers for software development ===
=== [[Portal:Wikimedia_Labs|VPS]] ===
{{anchor|Cloud VPS|reason=Old section name.}}
If you need to run full virtual instances and are willing to administer them on your own we can provide quota to do so.
Open source software projects help the Wikimedia movement by improving core infrastructure (like MediaWiki), powering research and analytics, and supporting Wikimedia operations and software development. For advanced projects that aren't viable in the Toolforge environment, '''[[Help:Cloud_VPS | Cloud VPS]]''' (Virtual Private Server) provides the following features:
* Free cloud computing environment, powered by [[:w:OpenStack|OpenStack]]
* Collaboratively-owned collections of virtual private servers, storage, firewall, and HTTPS proxy resources to projects
* Access to a variety of data services
* Freedom to install packages not provided by Debian or the Wikimedia Foundation
To use Cloud VPS, you need:
* An open source project that isn't viable in the Toolforge environment, or can't be accomplished using other WMCS offerings
* One or more active project maintainers who meet basic requirements
* Advanced programming knowledge
* Advanced experience with Unix command line
* The ability to administer your own servers and manage your project's applications, data, runtime, middleware, and operating systems


To get started, visit [[Help:Cloud VPS]].
=== [[Portal:Tool_Labs|Tools Forge PaaS]] ===
If you need to run a specific webservice, scheduled job, or perform analysis but do not want to or are not able to manage a full virtual environment this is the best place.


==== What is the difference between Cloud VPS and Toolforge? ====
=== [[Portal:Data_as_a_Service|DaaS]] ===
We provide replicas of the production databases and other data for analysis and experimentation. DaaS resources are available from both the VPS and the PaaS environments, though some of them may need to be requested for a specific VPS Project.


Cloud VPS is an [[:w:Cloud_computing#Infrastructure_as_a_service_.28IaaS.29|Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)]] solution. It provides virtual machines, storage, firewall, and HTTPS proxy resources to projects. The members of each individual project are responsible for managing applications, data, runtime, middleware, and operating systems themselves.
== Discovery ==


Toolforge is a [[:w:Cloud_computing#Platform_as_a_service_.28PaaS.29|Platform as a service (PaaS)]] solution. It provides [[Help:Toolforge/Web|web servers]], [[Help:Toolforge/Database|databases]], and a [[Help:Toolforge/Grid|distributed job processing system]] as managed services for tool maintainers.
* [[Help:Terminology|Terminology]]


=== Access databases and data dumps ===
* WMCS is working on a tool for read-only browsing of our projects at [[toollabs:openstack-browser/|OpenStack Browser]].
{{anchor|Data Services|reason=Old section name.}}
{{Note|What is a wiki replica? What's in the dumps? Learn the basics of Wikimedia open data and how to access all available datasets at [[meta:Research:Data|Research:Data]].}}


==== Access wiki databases for tool development====
* Project administration is done through the OpenStack dashboard known as [https://horizon.wikimedia.org/auth/login/?next=/ Horizon].


Tools and software hosted on Toolforge and Cloud VPS can directly access public data dumps and production wiki replicas.
* Tools Forge (Tools) has a [http://tools.wmflabs.org/ homepage] and a [http://tools.wmflabs.org/?list directory of Tools]
* Learn about [[Help:Toolforge/Database | accessing wiki replica databases from a tool account]].
* Learn about [[Help:Shared_storage | accessing dumps through shared storage services for Cloud VPS and Toolforge]].


== Joining and Participating ==
==== Query wiki replicas and dumps in a browser ====


* '''[[PAWS]]''' provides a Jupyter notebook environment you can use to query wiki replicas and dumps, create interactive graphs, and use APIs for analysis.
[[Help:Terminology|Labs Account Holders]] are governed by the [[Project:Labs Terms of use|Labs terms of use]] and the [[Help:Rules|Rules]]. The [[mw:Wikimedia Labs/Agreement to disclosure of personally identifiable information|agreement to disclosure of personally identifiable information]] covers [[Help:Terminology|End-Users]].
* '''[[Superset]]''' and '''[https://quarry.wmcloud.org/ Quarry]''' are web interfaces for querying live replica SQL databases of public Wikimedia wikis.
To use Superset or Quarry you need only a Wikimedia login and a web browser, but you should have a basic understanding of SQL. Learn about [[Help:MySQL_queries|SQL queries]].


== Which service is right for you? ==
[[Help:Getting_Started|Getting Started]]


{| class="wikitable"
We are on [[Help:IRC|IRC]]
|+
! rowspan="2" |Activity / Needs
!PAWS
!Superset
!Toolforge
!Cloud VPS
|-
|Data as a service
|Data as a service
|Platform as a service
|Infrastructure as a service
|-
|Write scripts and visualize data
|✔
|
|
|
|-
|Write queries against wiki replica databases
|✔
|✔
|✔
|✔ via Toolforge
|-
|Access on wiki database dump files
|✔
|
|✔
|
|-
|Write and run bots
|✔
|
|✔
|✔ if not viable on Toolforge
|-
|Run web services
|
|
|✔
|✔ if not viable on Toolforge
|-
|Build tools to improve Wikimedia projects
|
|
|✔
|✔ if not viable on Toolforge
|-
|Schedule or run continuous jobs
|
|
|✔
|✔ if not viable on Toolforge
|-
|Need your own subdomain
|
|
|✔
|✔
|-
|Work with co-maintainers and co-admins
|
|
|✔
|✔
|-
|Install packages not provided by Debian or the Wikimedia Foundation
|
|
|
|✔
|-
|Administer your own virtual server
|
|
|
|✔
|-
!Platform / Environment
|web browser
|web browser
|terminal
|terminal
|-
!User knowledge
|curious—advanced
|curious—advanced
|intermediate—advanced
|advanced
|}


== Media ==
== Before you start ==


To use Cloud Services products, you must first [[Help:Create a Wikimedia developer account|create a Wikimedia account and a developer account]].
* [[File:WMCS_Presentation.pdf|What is Wikimedia Cloud Service?]]

== Learn more ==

* 🎬 Video: [https://media.ccc.de/v/36c3-77-wikimedia-cloud-services-introduction Wikimedia Cloud Services introduction] (2019)
* 📣 Slides: [[commons:File:Introduction_to_Wikimedia_Cloud_Services_-_Wikimania_Hackathon_2019_Stockholm_Sweden.pdf|An introduction to Cloud Services presentation]] (2019)

{{:Help:Cloud Services communication}}

[[Category:Overviews]]
[[Category:Cloud Services]]

Revision as of 21:35, 3 February 2024

A Poster showing some Wikimedia Cloud services statistics and services
Poster-format overview

Wikimedia Cloud Services (WMCS) provides tools, services, and support for technical collaborators who want to contribute to Wikimedia software projects. Use Cloud Services to host your software tools for the Wikimedia movement, without charge.

What can you do with Cloud Services?

Host tools on Wikimedia servers

Tools and bots make it easier to edit and maintain Wikimedia projects. For developers who support Wikimedia projects by developing tools and bots, Toolforge provides the following features:

  • Free, reliable, and scalable shared hosting, including web servers, databases and other data storage
  • A distributed job processing system
  • Support for multiple users to collaboratively maintain and manage tools

To use Toolforge you need:

  • Some programming knowledge
  • An understanding of Unix command line

To get started, visit Help:Toolforge. Or, learn more about creating bots.

Run scripts and visualize data

PAWS is a Jupyter notebook installation hosted by Wikimedia. PAWS notebooks can be used for creating tutorials, running live code, creating data visualizations, running basic bots, and more.

A single PAWS notebook is maintained by a single user, but they can be downloaded and forked by other users. To use PAWS you need only a Wikimedia login and a web browser. Knowledge of Python is helpful, but not required.

Administer servers for software development

Open source software projects help the Wikimedia movement by improving core infrastructure (like MediaWiki), powering research and analytics, and supporting Wikimedia operations and software development. For advanced projects that aren't viable in the Toolforge environment, Cloud VPS (Virtual Private Server) provides the following features:

  • Free cloud computing environment, powered by OpenStack
  • Collaboratively-owned collections of virtual private servers, storage, firewall, and HTTPS proxy resources to projects
  • Access to a variety of data services
  • Freedom to install packages not provided by Debian or the Wikimedia Foundation

To use Cloud VPS, you need:

  • An open source project that isn't viable in the Toolforge environment, or can't be accomplished using other WMCS offerings
  • One or more active project maintainers who meet basic requirements
  • Advanced programming knowledge
  • Advanced experience with Unix command line
  • The ability to administer your own servers and manage your project's applications, data, runtime, middleware, and operating systems

To get started, visit Help:Cloud VPS.

What is the difference between Cloud VPS and Toolforge?

Cloud VPS is an Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) solution. It provides virtual machines, storage, firewall, and HTTPS proxy resources to projects. The members of each individual project are responsible for managing applications, data, runtime, middleware, and operating systems themselves.

Toolforge is a Platform as a service (PaaS) solution. It provides web servers, databases, and a distributed job processing system as managed services for tool maintainers.

Access databases and data dumps

What is a wiki replica? What's in the dumps? Learn the basics of Wikimedia open data and how to access all available datasets at Research:Data.

Access wiki databases for tool development

Tools and software hosted on Toolforge and Cloud VPS can directly access public data dumps and production wiki replicas.

Query wiki replicas and dumps in a browser

  • PAWS provides a Jupyter notebook environment you can use to query wiki replicas and dumps, create interactive graphs, and use APIs for analysis.
  • Superset and Quarry are web interfaces for querying live replica SQL databases of public Wikimedia wikis.

To use Superset or Quarry you need only a Wikimedia login and a web browser, but you should have a basic understanding of SQL. Learn about SQL queries.

Which service is right for you?

Activity / Needs PAWS Superset Toolforge Cloud VPS
Data as a service Data as a service Platform as a service Infrastructure as a service
Write scripts and visualize data
Write queries against wiki replica databases ✔ via Toolforge
Access on wiki database dump files
Write and run bots ✔ if not viable on Toolforge
Run web services ✔ if not viable on Toolforge
Build tools to improve Wikimedia projects ✔ if not viable on Toolforge
Schedule or run continuous jobs ✔ if not viable on Toolforge
Need your own subdomain
Work with co-maintainers and co-admins
Install packages not provided by Debian or the Wikimedia Foundation
Administer your own virtual server
Platform / Environment web browser web browser terminal terminal
User knowledge curious—advanced curious—advanced intermediate—advanced advanced

Before you start

To use Cloud Services products, you must first create a Wikimedia account and a developer account.

Learn more

Communication and support

Support and administration of the WMCS resources is provided by the Wikimedia Foundation Cloud Services team and Wikimedia movement volunteers. Please reach out with questions and join the conversation:

Discuss and receive general support
Stay aware of critical changes and plans
Track work tasks and report bugs

Use a subproject of the #Cloud-Services Phabricator project to track confirmed bug reports and feature requests about the Cloud Services infrastructure itself

Read stories and WMCS blog posts

Read the Cloud Services Blog (for the broader Wikimedia movement, see the Wikimedia Technical Blog)