Opinions about an open form standard

Hello everybody,

my name is Marco Jehnichen, I live in Saxony, Germany. As I am not fully satisfied with many current electronic form solutions, I started working on an experimental format called eForm, which I would like
to introduce to you.

The goal of eForm is to combine:

  • a stable visual layout (SVG)
  • structured data (JSON)
  • machine-readable semantics

into a single, self-contained document that remains readable even without specialized software.

An eForm document behaves like a digital equivalent of a paper form: it can be displayed directly in a browser via SVG, while also providing structured data for automated processing.

The format is intentionally minimal and based on widely supported technologies (SVG, ZIP, JSON).

So far I have implemented:

  • a draft specification
  • a reference viewer
  • a simple importer demonstrating data extraction

The project is available here:

I would be very interested in your feedback, especially regarding:

  • alignment with existing document standards (such as ODF)
  • potential overlap or integration points
  • general viability as an open format

The project is currently experimental, and I am primarily seeking early discussion rather than formal standardization at this stage.

I would greatly appreciate any honest feedback you may have, given your expertise in open file formats.

Best regards,

Marco Jehnichen

maybe try to find an angle for potential concrete improvements to LO projects
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Hi Marco,

Really interesting idea—especially the combination of SVG for layout and JSON for structured data in a single self-contained document. That “paper form but digital-first” approach makes a lot of sense, particularly for long-term readability and portability.

One thing that came to mind is how this might compare to or integrate with existing standards like ODF or even PDF forms (AcroForms/XFA). Your approach feels lighter and more web-native, which could be a big advantage if you can keep tooling simple and accessible.

You might also want to think about naming, positioning, and discoverability early on—projects like this often gain traction based on how clearly they’re presented. I’ve found tools like now useful when brainstorming names or refining how a format is introduced to a broader audience.

Overall, the concept looks promising, especially for open ecosystems. I’d be curious to see how validation, versioning, and extensibility evolve in your spec.

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.