What is a form submission endpoint?

A submission endpoint is the URL your website sends form data to. DropForm provides a unique endpoint per form so you don't need to build your own backend.

Should I use HTML form action or JavaScript fetch?

Use a plain HTML form action for maximum compatibility and to avoid CORS. Use JavaScript fetch when you need a custom UX, async submissions, or advanced client-side behavior.

How do I upload files?

For HTML forms, set enctype to multipart/form-data and use an input type=file. For JavaScript, use FormData and include the file input.

How is API access controlled?

DropForm uses API access keys scoped per form. That means integrations and management endpoints can be granted access form-by-form.

What is the schema endpoint used for?

The schema endpoint returns a form definition (fields, types, validation rules) so tools can auto-generate forms and integrations dynamically.

Quickstart

Get started with DropForm in minutes: sign up, copy your form endpoint, send your first submission, and manage everything in one inbox.

January 16, 2026 by DropForm Team

0. Sign up (or sign in)

Create a DropForm account to access your dashboard. A default form is created for you so you can test submissions immediately.

1. Create (or select) a form

In your dashboard, create a new form (or use the default one). Each form provides:

a unique submission endpoint (to receive data)
API access keys scoped per form (to integrate and manage submissions programatically)

Keep the mental model simple:

Submission API → send data into a form
Management API → list/manage submissions for a form
Schema API → fetch the form definition to build UIs dynamically

2. Send your first submission

Choose the method that matches your setup. Both options send data to your form's submission endpoint.

Option A: Plain HTML form

This works everywhere and avoids CORS issues because the browser performs a normal form POST.

Important rules:

Only fields with a name are submitted.
Use method="post" for most forms.
For file uploads, use multipart/form-data (see below).

Option B: JavaScript (fetch + FormData)

Use this when you want a custom UX (loading states, inline success, modal forms) or need more control.

3. Verify the submission in your inbox

After you submit the form, DropForm receives the request, validates it, applies spam protection, and stores the submission.

You'll then see the submission in your inbox/dashboard, where you can view, search, reply to, and organize submissions.

4. File uploads (optional)

To upload files from an HTML form, you must use enctype="multipart/form-data".

With JavaScript, file uploads work automatically when you use FormData:

5. Get notified (optional)

Enable email notifications so you never miss a new submission. You can configure notifications per form depending on your workflow.

6. Manage submissions via API (optional)

DropForm also provides a form-scoped management API so you can integrate your submissions with other tools. Access is granted with API keys per form.

Example: list submissions for a form (endpoint shape may differ in your project; use your API documentation as the source of truth):

7. Fetch the form schema (optional)

The schema endpoint returns your form definition (fields, types, validation rules). This can be used to auto-generate forms (for example with TanStack or other UI form builders).