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Forms

ODK Central

The ODK server for publishing forms and collecting submissions, including offline.

Repository updated

Website GitHub
229 starsApache-2.0JavaScriptBothUpdated

Repository counts and activity are catalog snapshots. Check GitHub for current values; a metadata review date is not recorded.

At a glance

Unverified

Field teams that collect data on phones, including without a connection.

Watch out. Central is built around ODK Collect on Android and web forms. Check the ODK docs for server sizing.

Run
Hosted or self-host
Effort
Moderate
Deploy
Docker Compose
License
Apache-2.0
Activity
Active · 18d ago

Overview

ODK Central is the server for ODK, used to publish forms that people fill in with the ODK Collect app or in a browser. It organizes work into projects with app users and roles, stores and reviews submissions, exports data, and supports entities for follow-up data collection. It runs as a Docker Compose application.

What it does

  • Form publishing for ODK Collect and web forms
  • Projects with app users and roles
  • Submission review and data export
  • Entities for follow-up data collection

Capability source: Project documentation

Who ODK Central fits

Field teams that collect data on phones, including without a connection.

How you run it

ODK Central has hosted and self-hosted options.

Documented deployment options: Docker Compose.

JavaScript projects · Apache-2.0 projects · Forms

Before you choose it

Central is built around ODK Collect on Android and web forms. Check the ODK docs for server sizing.

Self-hosting and deployment

Self-hostable
Yes
Cloud / hosted offering
Yes
Docker noted in deployment tags
Yes
Deployment tags
Docker Compose
Difficulty
Moderate

ODK Central questions

What is ODK Central?
The ODK server for publishing forms and collecting submissions, including offline. It is listed under Forms on PickOpenSource.
Is ODK Central open source?
Yes. Its source code is public on GitHub under the Apache-2.0 license.
Can you self-host ODK Central?
Yes. Listed deployment options: Docker Compose. A hosted version is also available.
Is ODK Central free?
Pricing is not recorded in this catalog. Check the official website for hosted plans and edition limits, and the Apache-2.0 license for usage conditions. Self-hosting also requires infrastructure and maintenance.
What are alternatives to ODK Central?
Similar forms projects include Formbricks, Typebot, and HeyForm.
Is ODK Central actively maintained?
The latest commit on GitHub was September 28, 2026, and the repository has 229 stars.

Related projects

Other approved projects in Forms: Formbricks, Typebot, HeyForm.

Maintain ODK Central? Add the README badge

Listed on PickOpenSource
[![Listed on PickOpenSource](https://pickopensource.site/api/badge/odk-central)](https://pickopensource.site/project/odk-central)

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