Community Edition Quickstart
This guide helps you determine if Community Edition is right for your self-hosted deployment and guides you through the setup, initialization, and first use.
Who Is It For?
- You want to host surveys, exams, question banks, and polls on your own computer, server, or NAS.
- You can accept responsibility for deploying and maintaining the system, or have a colleague assist with server issues.
- You plan to use it long-term and are willing to back up data regularly.
SurveyKing Community Edition is based on the MIT License, allowing for personal and commercial use.
What Can You Do Right Away?
SurveyKing Community Edition can be used for:
| Scenario | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|
| Survey Questionnaires | Customer satisfaction surveys, registration, data collection |
| Online Exams | Course tests, internal assessments, knowledge contests |
| Question Bank Practice | Sequential practice, random practice, error review |
| Polls & Voting | Event voting, work product evaluation, feedback gathering |
| Public Lookup | Score lookup, certificate lookup, registration result lookup |
Try out the demos first:
| What to See | Demo URL |
|---|---|
| Survey Questionnaires | Open Survey Demo |
| Online Exams | Open Exam Demo |
| Exam Results | Open Exam Result Demo |
| Feature List | View Feature Comparison Table |
Setup Steps
1. Choose Your Deployment Method
Select the deployment method that best suits your equipment:
| What You Have | Recommended Documentation |
|---|---|
| Windows Computer | Windows One-Click Deploy |
| Cloud Server + aaPanel | aaPanel One-Click Deploy |
| Cloud Server + Docker | Docker Compose Deploy |
| Synology NAS | Synology NAS One-Click Deploy |
| fnOS NAS | fnOS NAS One-Click Deploy |
If you're unsure, see: How to Deploy Community Edition.
2. Open and Initialize the System
After deployment is successful, open the access address provided in the deployment documentation in your browser.
The first time you open it, you’ll land on the /setup page. Complete the initialization, backup, and upgrade using Initialization, Backup & Upgrade.
Screenshot: First time opening the system, highlighting "H2 Internal Database", "MySQL Database", and "Next" positions. File Name: quickstart-setup.png
3. Log In to the Admin Console
After initialization is complete, enter the login page and log in with the default account.
Instructions for the default account and password changes can be found at: Initialization, Backup & Upgrade.
Immediately change the default password after your first login. Anyone who gains access to your system will attempt to log in using the default account.
4. Create Your First Project
After logging in, go to the project list and click New Survey or New Exam.
To quickly test it out, create a project with a template first, then modify the questions to match your business needs.
Screenshot: Admin console project list page, highlighting "New Survey" and "New Exam" entries. File Name: quickstart-create-project.png
If you have configured AI, you can use AI Smart Creation to quickly generate surveys or exams.
5. Prepare for Backup and Upgrade
Before using the system officially, review the backup instructions: Initialization, Backup & Upgrade.
It's recommended that you export backups at these times:
- Before launching the system publicly.
- Before upgrading.
- Before importing large amounts of user, question bank, or project data.
- Schedule regular backups (weekly or monthly).
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't have a technical background; which deployment method should I choose?
If you’re just testing on your own computer, select Windows One-Click Deploy.
If you already have a cloud server and installed aaPanel, select aaPanel One-Click Deploy.
If you have a Synology NAS or fnOS NAS, choose the corresponding one-click deployment documentation.
Can I use Community Edition commercially?
Yes, you can.
SurveyKing Community Edition is based on the MIT License, allowing for personal and commercial use. When using it officially, we recommend choosing MySQL and regularly exporting backups.
Why doesn’t my phone open localhost:1991?
localhost refers to the device where the system is running.
When accessing from a mobile device, you need to enter the IP address of the computer, server, or NAS where SurveyKing is deployed. See How to Deploy Community Edition for details.
Is it normal to land on /setup when I first open it?
Yes, it is.
In v1.12.0, the first time you open it, you’ll land on the /setup page and need to select the database and fill in system information. After completing this, you can access the system.