┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : OASIS / Sun Microsystems
│ CATEGORY : Document
│ MIME TYPE : application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text
│ MAGIC BYTES : 504B0304
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an ODT file?
ODT (OpenDocument Text) is an open-standard document format based on the ODF (OpenDocument Format) specification. It’s the default format for LibreOffice Writer and Apache OpenOffice Writer, providing a vendor-neutral alternative to Microsoft’s DOCX format.
How to open ODT files
- LibreOffice Writer (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free, native support
- Apache OpenOffice (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Free
- Microsoft Word (2007+) — Import support
- Google Docs (Web) — Free, online editing
- Apple Pages (macOS, iOS) — Import support
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | OpenDocument Format (ODF) |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 26300 |
| Container | ZIP archive with XML content |
| Macros | Supported (StarBasic, Python) |
| Version | ODF 1.3 (latest) |
Programs that open ODT files
- LibreOffice Writer — Native open-source editor
- Apache OpenOffice — Legacy open-source office
- Google Docs — Free online editor
- Microsoft Word — Compatibility mode
- Calligra Words — KDE office suite
Common use cases
- Open-source workflow: Document creation without proprietary software
- Government documents: Required by some governments (ISO standard)
- Academic work: Free alternative to Word
- Long-term archival: Vendor-neutral open standard