Twenty Years of ODF: The Open Format That Challenged Microsoft, Apple, and Google

The Open Document Format (ODF) celebrates two decades as a banner of interoperability and digital freedom against the dominance of closed formats like DOCX, PAGES, or Google Docs.

In May 2025, it will be 20 years since the approval of the OpenDocument Format (ODF) as an open standard for office documents. Promoted by the OASIS consortium and driven by initiatives like LibreOffice, this format has been key in ensuring that governments, businesses, and citizens do not solely depend on proprietary tools like Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, or Google Docs.

The Document Foundation, the organization behind LibreOffice, has highlighted the importance of this milestone: “ODF represents the users’ right to own their documents, without access being conditioned on the use of a specific application or a subscription.”

From XML to ISO Standardization

The origin of ODF dates back to 2002, when the OpenOffice.org team, backed by Sun Microsystems, began developing an open format based on XML. The first version was approved by OASIS in 2005, and the following year, it received international standard status under ISO/IEC 26300.

Since then, the format has remained updated, with versions like 1.2 (2011) and 1.3 (2020) introducing improvements such as digital signatures, robust encryption, and new change tracking schemes.

Technical Comparison: ODF vs. Other Current Formats

Throughout these two decades, ODF has coexisted with multiple proprietary formats. While DOCX is the most widespread, Apple, Google, and other office suites have also established their own closed standards.

Comparison between ODF and Major Current Office Formats

ODF’s Position in Public Administrations

Numerous governments have adopted ODF as the preferred format for their communications and electronic archiving:

• Germany and France recommend it in their interoperability guidelines.
• Brazil, South Africa, and Taiwan have legislated its use in public administration.
• The European Union recognizes it as an essential format for document portability.
• The United Kingdom and The Netherlands have included ODF in their technology neutrality policies.

In contrast, many of these countries also face interoperability pressures with environments like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, where ODF formats often suffer from formatting loss when exported or opened.

Why is ODF Still Relevant?

Despite the dominance of closed formats, ODF maintains a series of unique advantages:

1. Digital sovereignty: allows governments and users to have full control over their data.
2. Long-term preservation: ideal for historical archives and legal documentation.
3. Auditable: any developer can examine its structure.
4. Accessible and multiplatform: compatible with LibreOffice, OnlyOffice, Calligra, Google Docs (limited), and partially in Microsoft Office.
5. Free license: no restrictions or hidden clauses.

Current Challenges: Cloud, Dependence, and Compatibility

One of the biggest challenges for ODF is the ubiquity of cloud suites like Google Docs or Microsoft 365. These tools use proprietary formats that hinder the transparent use of open standards, especially in educational or work environments.

Additionally, while Microsoft Office allows opening and saving ODF files, compatibility remains partial and sometimes introduces formatting errors, discouraging its adoption in the corporate sector.

What’s Next: ODF 1.4 and Beyond

Currently, version 1.4 of ODF is under development, with a special focus on:

• Improvements in multimedia interoperability
• Integration with modern video and audio formats
• Reinforcement of digital signatures
• More robust compatibility with cloud tools

There is also discussion about how to adapt the format to new realities, such as real-time collaborative documents or the use of generative AI.

Conclusion: A Standard That Continues to Make a Difference

In a world dominated by closed solutions and cloud services that blur the boundaries of user control over their own files, ODF represents a clear alternative: that of free software, transparency, and the right to decide how to store and share our information.

Two decades after its creation, ODF continues to demonstrate that it is possible to build user-centered technologies and not solely for the exclusive benefit of major vendors. Its evolution, although quiet, remains essential for a truly open digital society.