PromptResponse
Active DevelopmentA cross-platform application and library for creating, importing, and filling office forms. PromptResponse replaces fragile PDF, Word, and Excel forms with a portable JSON-based .apr format.
Overview
PromptResponse reimagines form-based data collection by abandoning the page metaphor entirely. Traditional form tools—PDF, Word, Excel—were designed for printed documents first, with digital interaction bolted on as an afterthought. The result is fragile forms that break across versions, accessibility problems, and data locked in proprietary formats.
PromptResponse starts from first principles: forms are structured data collection interfaces, not documents.
Features
- Template creation and form filling without fighting document layouts
- Import existing forms from fillable PDFs, and through the document-to-apr workflow for flat/scanned PDFs, Word, OpenDocument, and images
- Pure JSON format for easy database import, webhook submission, and programmatic processing
- Responsive forms that adapt to any screen without fixed layouts
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility by design
- Safe to open untrusted files (no code execution)
- Built with .NET 10 and AvaloniaUI for cross-platform support
Technical Details
The .apr format is a JSON-based specification that describes form structure, validation rules, and conditional logic. Because it's plain text, forms can be:
- Version controlled with git
- Diffed and merged
- Generated programmatically
- Validated with JSON Schema
- Transformed with standard tools (jq, Python, etc.)
Philosophy
The interesting part is making forms boring. No fancy features that break, no clever hacks that don't survive a software update. Just reliable, accessible data collection that works everywhere.