Self-host gitforms
2.0.0Free contact forms powered by GitHub Issues
- Stars
- 164
- Port
- 3000 (HTTP web server)
- Requires
- GitHub, Node.js
What is gitforms?
GitForms is a Next.js 14 contact form application that uses GitHub Issues as a free database backend. Every form submission creates a GitHub Issue and triggers an automatic email notification via GitHub's built-in notifications. The project is fully configurable without code changes through JSON configuration files for themes, translations, and form fields. It supports Italian and English with auto-detection, includes rate limiting (3 requests/minute per IP), honeypot spam protection, input sanitization, and optional AI lead classification using Anthropic's Claude Haiku. Deployment options include Vercel, Netlify, Railway, Render, Docker, and AWS Amplify. The license is CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0), which restricts commercial use.
Should you self-host gitforms?
gitforms scores 43/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #6 of 6 in Form Builder. It has 164 GitHub stars.
There was no stable release in the past 12 months, so check the repository's recent activity before you rely on it.
Setup is easy: most people get it running in one sitting. It is Other-licensed and written mostly in Typescript.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Formbricks (72/100, 13 179 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See gitforms vs Formbricks side by side.
Features
- AI lead classificationRequires ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, degrades gracefully if absent
- Automatic email notifications
- Configurable without code
- Customizable form fields
- Customizable Styling
- Deploy Anywhere
- Input sanitization
- Multilingual support (IT/EN)
- Rate Limiting
- React Hook Form + Zod validation
- Spam Protection
- Test suite
gitforms README
FAQ
Is this the intended use of GitHub Issues?
Honestly, no. GitForms uses GitHub Issues creatively as storage. Best suited for personal projects and prototypes (10-100 submissions/month). For high-traffic commercial sites, consider traditional databases.
Do I need technical knowledge?
Basic knowledge helps but isn't required. If you can deploy to Vercel and create a GitHub token, you can use GitForms. Setup takes 5 minutes.
Can I export my data?
Yes, anytime. Use GitHub's API to export all Issues as JSON, CSV, or any format. You can also migrate to a different system with no vendor lock-in.
What if GitHub changes their API?
GitHub maintains backward compatibility and announces changes months in advance. The Issues API has been stable for over 10 years.
Can I use this for production sites?
Yes. GitForms uses GitHub's stable API with 99.9% uptime. Thousands of sites use GitHub Issues for production workflows.
Is this GDPR compliant?
Yes. You control the data since it's stored in your own GitHub repository. You can delete Issues anytime, and users can request deletion under GDPR.
How do email notifications work?
GitHub automatically emails you when a new Issue is created. No configuration needed. You can customize notification settings in your GitHub account.
Will I hit the rate limit?
Unlikely. 5,000 requests/hour means ~120,000 submissions per day, while most landing pages get 10-100 submissions per month.
What are GitHub's limits?
GitHub free accounts get 5,000 requests per hour and unlimited Issues creation, allowing thousands of form submissions per month at no cost.
More in Form Builder
gridaOpen-source canvas for graphics, images, and AI-assisted presentations; runs as a self-hosted desktop app on macOS, Windows, and Linux with your own AI keys or Ollama.
GristA self-hosted, open-source relational spreadsheet with database-style columns, Python formulas, row-level access rules, forms and drag-and-drop dashboards.
HeyFormSelf-hosted, open-source form builder for conversational surveys, quizzes and polls, with conditional logic, webhooks, analytics, CSV export and OIDC single sign-on.
inputSelf-hosted no-code form builder for brandable forms as a TypeForm alternative, with webhooks, notifications, and team collaboration.
LimeSurvey🔥 LimeSurvey – A powerful, open-source survey platform. A free alternative to SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Qualtrics, and Google Forms, making it simple to create online surveys and forms with unmatched flexibility.
MathesarOpen-source, self-hosted spreadsheet UI for PostgreSQL: view, edit and query data, build forms and queries without SQL, using native Postgres roles.
OpnFormOpnForm is a self-hosted, open-source form builder with unlimited responses, no-code builder, conditional logic, webhooks, and MCP for AI forms. Deploy via Docker.
TypebotSelf-hosted, fair-source chatbot builder with a visual block editor, web and WhatsApp delivery, webhooks, result analytics, and Docker images for builder and viewer.
CryptPadOpen-source, self-hosted collaborative office suite with end-to-end encrypted documents, sheets, forms and kanban boards edited in real time.
FormbricksSelf-hosted, open-source survey and experience-management platform: link, website, in-app and email surveys with no-code builder, webhooks, API, and analytics dashboards.
formsflowaiformsflow.ai is a self-hosted, open-source low-code platform combining Form.io, Camunda, Keycloak, and Redash for forms, BPMN/DMN workflows, identity, and analytics.
0 comments