Enketo

Enketo is an open-source web-based form runner for the Open Data Kit (ODK) ecosystem. It renders XForms that are defined from XLSForms and allows users to fill and submit surveys from a web browser, with support for offline data entry and later submission when connectivity is available. Enketo is designed to complement mobile data collection tools such as ODK Collect by providing a browser-based option for data collection on desktops, laptops, or tablets.

Two main variants exist: Enketo Web, the client-side user interface that runs in the browser, and Enketo Express, a server-side component that hosts and renders forms and integrates with back-end data stores. The project includes the Enketo Core library, which provides form rendering functionality that can be embedded in other applications.

Features include offline form filling using browser storage, validation against form constraints, skip logic and repeats, multimedia attachments (photos, audio, video), GPS/location data capture, and synchronization with back-end servers such as ODK Aggregate, ODK Central, or other compatible systems.

Enketo is used by humanitarian, development, and research projects to collect data in resource-limited settings where mobile networks may be unreliable. Forms are created in XLSForm, uploaded to a server, and accessed via a URL either on enketo.org or self-hosted deployments.

History: Enketo emerged in the Open Data Kit ecosystem to provide a browser-based alternative to mobile apps for data collection; it is maintained by the ODK community with contributions from various organizations.