When should I forward server-side instead of posting from the browser?

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Handle contact forms without writing a Node.js server

Most integrations post from the browser, which keeps per-visitor spam signals intact. Sometimes you want the submission to pass through your own server first - to enrich it, to check something against your database, or because the form lives behind authentication. Forwarding from Node is a single fetch call.

Get an endpoint Read the docs

Setup

Copy your endpoint
Create a form in the dashboard.
Forward from your route
Do your own checks first, then POST the payload through.

Node.js examples

Swap in your own endpoint and these run as-is.

Express. Native fetch, so no dependency beyond Express itself.

server.js

import express from "express";

const app = express();
app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));
app.use(express.json());

app.post("/contact", async (req, res) => {
  // your own validation / enrichment here

  const upstream = await fetch("https://send.webforms.to/wft_your_key", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "content-type": "application/json",
      accept: "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      ...req.body,
      source: "marketing-site",
    }),
  });

  const data = await upstream.json();
  res.status(upstream.ok ? 200 : 400).json(data);
});

app.listen(3000);

Worth knowing

Submissions forwarded from your server carry your server's IP, so IP-based spam heuristics and rate limits see one address for every visitor. Post from the browser unless you specifically need the server in the middle.

Node.js form FAQ

When you need to validate against data only your server has, enrich the payload, or when the form sits behind authentication. Otherwise post from the browser and keep the spam signals.

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