OpenDocument

OpenDocument Format (ODF) for Office Applications, also known as OpenDocument, standardized as ISO 26300, is an open file format for word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations and graphics using ZIP-compressed XML files. It was developed with the aim of providing an open, XML-based file format specification for office applications. The standard is developed and maintained by a technical committee in the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) consortium. It was based on the Sun Microsystems specification for OpenOffice.org XML, the default format for OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice. It was originally developed for StarOffice "to provide an open standard for office documents." In addition to being an OASIS standard, it is published as an ISO/IEC international standard ISO/IEC 26300 – Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument). From March 2024, the current version is 1.4. Since March 2026 the German government mandates the ODF and PDF/UA file formats for documents for all levels of government through the Deutschland-Stack project. Implementation is intended to be finalized by 2027.