📋 Contract Generator
Generate a signable contract that lives on your own domain and becomes a static .html file when it's signed.
- Generate the contract
- Upload the standalone file to your server
- Send your client a link to it
Details
The generator is Javascript based and runs in your browser.
The generated file can be uploaded to any server that runs PHP.
Once signed by both parties, the PHP file will delete itself from your server and leave behind a static HTML file.
Why self hosted?
Hosting a contract on your own domain can provide a more professional and streamlined experience for your client.
Hosting it on your own server means that, in theory, you can have complete and precise control over how public or sharable a contract is (or what protections are in place around it) before and after it’s been signed.
Why a single file?
Before signatures: it allows all the necessary code for a contract to be colocated in a single, self-contained file, which can be easily edited, updated, or transferred as needed.
After both parties sign: keeping a small footprint in the filesystem (one file per document) will make archiving, backing up, or deleting documents easier later.
Why a static file?
Since after being signed by everyone the data inside of a contract is not likely to change, it makes sense to store the final document as a static HTML file which is portable, cheap to host, and fast to load when requested in a browser.
Using WordPress as a File Manager/Uploader?
The small footprint (just one file at any point in time) also makes it well suited to run alongside (but not depend on) existing systems, like WordPress, since the single file needed for a contract can be easily dropped in any folder inside of or next to an existing WordPress site, eg: by using a file manager plugin to upload it.