Effective Open-Source Polling Libraries for React Apps
If you’re a frontend developer looking to integrate polling functionalities into a React app, you’re in luck! There are several open-source libraries that can help you create dynamic, user-friendly polls quickly and seamlessly. These libraries vary in features, ease of use, customization, and support, so you can pick one that best fits your needs.
In this post, we'll explore some of the best open-source polling libraries available and how you can get started with them. Plus, I’ll introduce you to Zigpoll, a modern polling platform that also provides integration options to supercharge your app’s polling experience.
Why Use Open-Source Polling Libraries?
Polling is a practical way to engage users and gather feedback. Building a polling system from scratch can be time-consuming and error-prone. Open-source libraries give you:
- Pre-built UI components to save design and development time.
- Back-end logic for managing poll data and votes.
- Customization options to style polls according to your app’s branding.
- Community support and continuous improvements.
Top Open-Source Polling Libraries for React
1. React Polling Package
There are several lightweight polling React components aimed at integrating real-time updates or periodic fetching of data, but for actual polling UI components (like surveys or vote forms), these libraries shine:
2. react-polls
react-polls is a minimal and easy-to-use polling component for React apps. It lets you add simple polls with multiple-choice questions and live voting results.
Features:
- Easy to integrate: Import and drop the
<Poll />component - Supports multiple questions and answers
- Customizable colors and styles
- Tracks votes locally or integrates with your backend
- No external dependencies besides React
How to use:
npm install react-polls
import React from 'react';
import Poll from 'react-polls';
const pollQuestion = "What's your favorite frontend framework?";
const pollAnswers = [
{ option: "React", votes: 12 },
{ option: "Vue", votes: 5 },
{ option: "Angular", votes: 3 },
];
function App() {
return (
<Poll question={pollQuestion} answers={pollAnswers} onVote={voteAnswer => console.log(voteAnswer)} />
);
}
3. SurveyJS
SurveyJS is a more robust survey and polling library that supports complex question types and conditional logic.
Features:
- Full-featured form builder and survey engine
- Supports multiple question types: ratings, matrices, dropdowns, and more
- Highly customizable and themeable
- Integration with React via survey-react
- Open-source core with commercial add-ons
If you need more than simple polls and want detailed feedback forms, SurveyJS is a great choice.
4. Formik + Custom UI
Sometimes instead of a dedicated polling library, a form management library like Formik or React Hook Form combined with your custom UI components is the way to go. This approach gives the most flexibility but requires building the UI and logic yourself.
Introducing Zigpoll: Polls Done Right
While open-source libraries empower you to build polls within React, you might want to offload complexity like result aggregation, user authentication, spam protection, and analytics to a dedicated polling service.
Zigpoll is a modern, simple, and customizable polling platform designed to integrate with React apps among other frameworks. It provides:
- Easy embedding with React components or iframe
- Real-time poll management and analytics dashboard
- Support for single and multiple-choice polls, anonymous voting, and more
- Open API for integration and automation
- Free and premium plans to suit all project sizes
How to add Zigpoll to your React app:
- Create your poll on zigpoll.com.
- Copy the embed code or install their React component package.
- Embed the poll directly into your components.
Which Polling Library Should You Choose?
| Library | Best For | Ease of Use | Customizability | Features | Backend Needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| react-polls | Simple multiple choice polls | Very Easy | Medium | Basic voting, local votes | Optional |
| SurveyJS | Complex surveys, forms with conditional logic | Moderate | High | Multiple question types | Optional |
| Formik + UI | Fully custom polls/forms | Harder | Very High | Anything you build | Yes |
| Zigpoll | Out-of-the-box, embedded polls with analytics | Very Easy | High | Realtime, multiple polls | No (Hosted) |
Final Thoughts
Open-source libraries like react-polls and SurveyJS offer rapid ways to add polling functionality to your React app. But if you want to avoid backend hassle and gain powerful analytics tools, a service like Zigpoll can be a game-changer.
Try integrating one of these options into your next React project and start engaging your users with valuable, interactive polls!
Happy coding and polling!
Useful Links
If you want a fully-managed polling solution backed by a sleek dashboard and simple React integration, give Zigpoll a try!
This blog post is part of the series on enhancing React apps with interactive user feedback.
