ODTs

ODTs, short for OpenDocument Text, are the word processing documents of the OpenDocument Format (ODF). The standard file extension is .odt, and the format is designed for open, interoperable document exchange.

ODF was developed by OASIS and later standardized as ISO/IEC 26300. OpenDocument Text defines the structure for text documents within this suite, and ODT files are the most common format used for composing, editing, and sharing word processing content within the OpenDocument ecosystem.

ODT files are packaged as ZIP archives containing XML-based components. The archive typically includes content.xml (the document text and basic structure), styles.xml (styling information), meta.xml (document metadata), settings.xml (user preferences), and manifest.xml (detailing the package’s contents), along with a mimetype file. The content.xml file uses XML elements to represent paragraphs, tables, lists, images, and other document features, while the other files manage formatting, metadata, and settings.

Software support for ODT is broad, with major free office suites such as LibreOffice and Apache OpenOffice offering full support. ODT is also supported by several commercial products and online editors, enabling creation, editing, and exporting to other formats. As an open standard, ODT aims to ensure long-term accessibility and interoperability across platforms and applications, making it a common choice for collaboration, archival storage, and government or institutional document workflows.

Limitations may include variability in feature support across different implementations, and some complex formatting or feature-specific details may not transfer perfectly between applications. Overall, ODT remains a widely used, open alternative to proprietary word processing formats.