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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about NetPad and how to use it.

General Questions​

What is NetPad?​

NetPad is an open-source platform for creating MongoDB-connected data entry forms, workflows, and data management applications without writing code. It provides a visual interface for building forms, automating processes, and managing data.

Is NetPad free?​

NetPad is open-source software. You can self-host it for free. Cloud hosting and managed services may have associated costs (MongoDB Atlas, Vercel, etc.).

What version of MongoDB do I need?​

NetPad works with MongoDB 4.4+ and is optimized for MongoDB Atlas. Any MongoDB instance (Atlas, self-hosted, or cloud) will work.

Do I need to know how to code?​

No! NetPad is designed for non-developers. The visual form builder and workflow editor require no coding knowledge. However, some advanced features may benefit from basic technical understanding.

Forms​

How do I create a form?​

  1. Navigate to the Form Builder (/builder)
  2. Click "New Form"
  3. Connect to MongoDB (or use auto-provisioned cluster)
  4. Add fields by dragging from the sidebar
  5. Configure settings and publish

See the Quick Start Guide for detailed steps.

Can I edit a published form?​

Yes! You can edit published forms at any time. All changes are versioned, so you can revert to previous versions if needed.

How do I restrict who can submit my form?​

In form settings, configure access control:

  • Public: Anyone with the URL can submit
  • Authenticated: Users must sign in to submit
  • Restricted: Only specific domains or users can submit

What happens to form data?​

Form submissions are:

  1. Saved to NetPad's platform database
  2. Synced to your MongoDB collection
  3. Available in the Data Explorer
  4. Can be exported as JSON or CSV

Can I embed forms on my website?​

Yes! Published forms can be embedded using an iframe or JavaScript snippet. Find the embed code in the form's share settings.

How many fields can I have in a form?​

There's no hard limit, but forms with 50+ fields may have performance considerations. NetPad supports multi-page forms to organize large forms.

Workflows​

What are workflows?​

Workflows automate processes using a visual editor. You can trigger workflows from form submissions, schedules, webhooks, or manually.

Do I need to know programming to use workflows?​

No! Workflows use a visual drag-and-drop interface. However, understanding basic logic concepts (if/then, loops) is helpful.

Can workflows call external APIs?​

Yes! The HTTP Request node allows you to make API calls to any external service.

How do I debug a workflow?​

Use the execution history to view detailed logs for each workflow run. You can see which nodes executed, what data passed through, and any errors.

Data & MongoDB​

Do I need to create MongoDB collections first?​

No! NetPad will automatically create collections when the first document is inserted.

Can I use my existing MongoDB database?​

Yes! You can connect to any MongoDB instance. NetPad will work with your existing collections and data.

How is my data secured?​

  • Connection strings are encrypted in the vault
  • Field-level encryption is supported (MongoDB Queryable Encryption)
  • All connections use TLS/SSL
  • Role-based access control limits who can access what

Can I export my data?​

Yes! You can export data as JSON or CSV from the Data Explorer or form analytics.

How do I import existing data?​

Use the Data Import wizard in the Data Explorer. Upload CSV or XLSX files and map columns to MongoDB fields.

Authentication​

What authentication methods are supported?​

  • Magic links (passwordless email)
  • Passkeys (WebAuthn/FIDO2)
  • OAuth (Google, GitHub, and more)

Yes, you need SMTP configuration for magic links to work. See Configuration for details.

Can I disable certain authentication methods?​

Yes, you can configure which authentication methods are available in your deployment.

Organizations & Teams​

What are organizations?​

Organizations allow you to group forms, workflows, and data. They support multi-tenant isolation and team collaboration.

How do I invite team members?​

Organization owners and admins can invite team members from the organization settings page.

What are the different roles?​

  • Owner: Full control, can delete organization
  • Admin: Can manage members and settings
  • Member: Can create and edit forms/workflows
  • Viewer: Read-only access

Deployment​

Can I self-host NetPad?​

Yes! NetPad is open-source and can be self-hosted. See the Deployment Guide for details.

What are the system requirements?​

  • Node.js 18+
  • MongoDB connection
  • 512MB+ RAM
  • HTTPS certificate (for production)

Can I deploy to Vercel?​

Yes! Vercel is the recommended deployment platform. See Vercel Deployment for details.

Troubleshooting​

My form isn't saving submissions​

  • Check MongoDB connection in Connection Vault
  • Verify collection permissions
  • Check form is published
  • Review error logs in browser console

I can't connect to MongoDB​

  • Verify connection string is correct
  • Check network access to MongoDB
  • Verify database user has proper permissions
  • Test connection in Connection Vault

Workflows aren't executing​

  • Check workflow status (must be "active")
  • Verify trigger configuration
  • Review execution logs for errors
  • Check node configurations

Authentication isn't working​

  • Verify environment variables are set
  • Check SMTP configuration for magic links
  • Verify OAuth callback URLs match
  • Check session secret is configured

Getting Help​

  • Documentation: Browse the docs for detailed guides
  • GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
  • GitHub Discussions: Ask questions and get community help

For more specific help, see the relevant documentation sections: