How to Create Surveys Online: Code or No-Code?
Tags: webdev, html, nocode, tutorial
Published: 2023-03-28 08:53:43

With the rise of digital platforms, creating online surveys is easier and faster than ever. And these surveys are important for everyone, especially for businesses and organizations, to gather feedback from their target audience. There are two popular ways to create an online survey. One is with the help of a survey builder, i.e., without code, and the other is with the help of codes.

In this article, you will have access to information that will help you find the most suitable method for creating an online survey. You can observe both methods with their pros and cons. Additionally, you will learn how to create a survey using an HTML code in the article. Now let's take a general look at what an online survey is!

## What is an online survey?
Online surveys can help you gather the necessary information from your target audience. You can also determine a suitable roadmap for your goals by analyzing the data collected from online surveys. For example, you can collect customer evaluations and take new improvement steps through a satisfaction survey.  Alternatively, you can use these surveys for market research to determine which products or services are in high demand and develop new products accordingly.

When you look at online surveys from a programming point of view, you can see that they are just forms. More precisely, online forms are web-based forms designed to collect user data. To create your online surveys or forms, you can use a survey tool or create a form using code.

## How to create a survey in HTML
Another useful way to create online surveys is to use HTML codes.  HTML, CSS and Javascript provide a flexible and easy-to-use way to create interactive forms for your website. Using HTML form tags and input fields, you can easily create a survey with questions and options for users. However, you need a basic knowledge of coding to do this.

In this section, we have created a "**customer satisfaction survey**" as an example. Some questions have been used in this survey, but some additional questions you can use are as follows.

1. _Did our product/service meet your expectations?_
2. _How frequently do you use our product/service?_
3. _Is there anything we could do to improve your experience with our product/service?_


### HTML code
Now check out the steps below to create a customer satisfaction survey. These steps explain how you can create a survey using HTML code. If you have basic coding knowledge, follow the steps below and create your survey.

- **Step 1:** Create an HTML form tag to contain the survey questions and user input.
- **Step 2:** Add a heading for the survey.
- **Step 3:** Create a question for the user to answer using a **label and radio buttons**.
- **Step 4:** Repeat step 3 for each additional question, using a unique ID and name for each question.
- **Step 5:** To create a star rating, create a class called "_rating box_" and a subclass called "_stars._" Write icon names here.
- **Step 6:** Add a submit button to allow users to submit their responses.
- **Step 7:** Close the form tag.



### CSS code
To give a nice look to the skeleton you create with HTML, you need to use CSS. Using CSS, you can control the appearance of your web pages and make them more visually appealing, easy to read, and user-friendly. Check out the steps below to make your HTML structure look visually beautiful.

- **Step 1:** To set the style of the form elements, give the max-width property to the form block and center the form horizontally with the margin property.
- **Step 2:** You can set the background color of the form area with the background-color property.
- **Step 3:** With the border-radius property, you can make the form edges rounded for a softer look.
- **Step 4:** Set the properties of h1, h2, and p elements such as font family, font size, and color.
- **Step 5:** Set the properties that will change when the label hovers.
- **Step 6:** Set the display and position settings of the "Radio" label.
- **Step 7:** Give the stars in the star rating the look you want according to their class.
- **Step 8:** Use the "active" command to specify what color any star icons should appear when they are active _(i.e., selected)_.
- **Step 9:** Customize the Button field. For example, you can change the color when the button hovers.

### JavaScript code
With Javascript, you can add interactivity, dynamism, and advanced functionality to your website. This is important for web developers and is widely used to create complex web applications, interactive forms, animations, and more. Now, look at the following example of javascript code that you can use for star ratings in a customer satisfaction survey.

- **Step 1:** Select all the stars on the page using **document.querySelectorAll()**.
- **Step 2:** Then, add an event listener for each star using a **forEach()** loop. This event listener will be triggered when a star is clicked.
- **Step 3:** When clicked, the nested forEach() loop determines the state of the stars. If a star belongs to a star before the clicked star, a CSS class named "active" is added. Otherwise, the "**active**" class is removed.


## Extra Notes
You need a database to collect survey responses.  For this, you may need to use server-side programming languages or services. For example, using a server-side language like PHP or Node.js, you can save survey responses in a database. 

The database allows you to use the responses to analyze and report on them later. But there is no regular reporting and statistics system. You may need to use extra programs or code for this. If you want to go with this method, here is the end result of the previous steps.

{% codepen https://codepen.io/hilalkara/pen/KKxdaWo %}

## How to create a survey by using survey maker tools
Using survey creation tools is an easy and effective way to [create online surveys](https://forms.app/en/survey-maker).  To get started, it is important to choose a survey creation tool that is user-friendly, intuitive and offers a variety of customization options. For example, look for tools that offer ready-made templates, different question types, and the ability to add your own branding and design elements. 

With forms.app, you can create professional surveys in minutes without any coding knowledge; for example, to create a survey right now, follow the steps below and create a survey!

- **Step 1:** Choose one of the [free templates](https://forms.app/en/templates).

![Choose a template](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qzsxgil84wlmmxhmm1ts.png)
- **Step 2:** Type your questions by clicking on the plus button. You can select fields such as _single selection, multiple selections, star rating, and a drop-down selection_ and add question title, description and options.

![Add Questions](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/p9io8ut3ubg57dax4hcj.png)
- **Step 3:** In the Conditions tab, you can add conditions to your questions and thus collect more relevant responses.

![Add Conditional Questions](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/y9c52powqdshhc2gpdjv.png)
- **Step 4:** Customize your survey from the Design tab. For example, you can add an icon or logo to represent your product or service.

![Customize](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ar1bxu016o9rpat7wyw6.png)
- **Step 5:** From the Settings tab, you can create a welcome page, a thank you page, or a private message. Here you can also edit your notification settings.

![Check out settings](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/60hail8tpiehs0cyybho.png)

That's it. With a no-code tool these are all the steps you must follow. Here is the end result: [See the survey example](https://online
.forms.app/msalimdin/evaluation-research-survey)

## Advantages and disadvantages of both methods
You have learned how to create an online survey with or without code. But if you have to choose, you may need to consider the advantages and disadvantages. Code provides flexibility and customization but requires technical knowledge. 

On the other hand, with no code, the survey tool is easy and fast but may have limitations in terms of customization and integration. Which method you use depends on your needs or budget. Now examine the advantages and disadvantages of both methods to make the right choice.

### coding your survey
You can use codes to create your own survey completely by yourself.  To create a web-based survey, you must use a programming language such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This requires technical knowledge, but you can edit the survey to the last detail. Now look at the advantages and disadvantages of this method and see if it suits you.

#### Advantages of coding your survey:
Using codes, you can fully control your survey's design, functionality, and integrations.
You can create customized surveys that meet your specific needs and requirements.
You can create your survey without using a third-party platform, which means it is cost-effective.

#### Disadvantages of coding your survey:
You need coding skills, i.e., technical knowledge. This is not suitable for everyone in terms of use.
Building a survey from scratch using code can be time-consuming.
The code requires constant maintenance and updates to ensure the survey works correctly.

### using a no-code survey tool
Creating surveys without technical knowledge is a practical method that can be accomplished using online survey creation platforms. It is always convenient to use online tools to save time, and if you choose an easy-to-use platform, you can create your survey within minutes. Now, by reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of this method, you can determine if it is suitable for you.

#### Advantages of using a no-code survey tool:
Survey creation platforms are easy to use. They are usually user-friendly and intuitive, making it easy for non-technical people to create surveys.
With smart survey tools, you can create your survey quickly.
Code-free platforms are often more affordable than hiring a developer or building a survey from scratch.

#### Disadvantages of using a no-code survey tool:
With no-code platforms, you may be limited in design options and functionality.
 Some no-code platforms may not allow you to own your survey data fully.
 No-code platforms may not integrate with all the tools you need to use, limiting your ability to analyze and use the data collected in your survey.
So, which one wins?
Creating a survey using code or non-code methods depends on your skills, requirements, and budget. When choosing, you should properly analyze the advantages and disadvantages of both methods. This way, you can make a choice based purely on your needs. 

**If you have the technical knowledge and time**, you can _create a survey by coding_. However, **if you want a fast and effective solution**, you can _use survey creation platforms_. For example, with a platform like [forms.app](https://forms.app/en/form-builder), you can create free surveys, customize them and create professional surveys with smart features.