Reliable data flows, verifiable signatures and predictable structures are essential for digital identity systems, which touch every aspect of modern digital life. They authorise transactions, confirm requests and guarantee security policies.

In this context, the Open Document Format (ODF) offers a transparent, computer-readable foundation for verifying the authenticity of documents and ensuring their long-term integrity.

Each ODF file is a structured ZIP container with a consistent internal layout. It contains a set of XML files that are always located in the same position. These files include meta.xml for metadata, manifest.xml for the list of files and relationships, content.xml for document data and styles.xml for presentation rules. The files are either ODT (text), ODS (spreadsheets), ODP (presentations) or ODG (drawings).

Because everything is in XML format and in the same location, identity systems can analyse the content without searching for it as they would with OOXML files, which vary greatly depending on the application used to create them. Identity systems can therefore focus on specific parts of a file rather than scanning raw binary blocks, which are present in OOXML files.

This is important for signing, integrity validation, metadata extraction and policy enforcement. When documents move from one identity platform to another, APIs can map ODF elements in a stable manner, reducing ambiguity and improving verification speed.

Document Signing

ODF supports the XML Signature and XML Encryption standards via the META-INF/documentsignatures.xml file. This file can contain multiple independent signatures, each relating to specific parts of the document. The signature refers to an explicit path within the ZIP container, making automatic verification easier and avoiding confusion caused by false errors resulting from layout changes.

Each document can contain user signatures, organisational seals, timestamps, and workflow attestations. Each signature can also contain its own certificate chain, revocation information, and policies.

ODF is compatible with standard X.509 certificates, enabling the use of national eIDAS identification systems and corporate PKI systems. Verification pipelines can apply the same trust rules used for signed emails or encrypted communications.

Interoperability and Identity Federation

Digital identity works best when it is portable. ODF’s openness supports this by avoiding vendor-specific binary constructs. Any identity framework can be integrated with ODF because its schema is public and stable, its structure is predictable, and there are no proprietary validators.

In federated identity ecosystems, such as cross-border government services or multi-cloud enterprise configurations, ODF reduces friction and ensures that documents remain compatible, even when authentication systems differ.

Long-Term Signature Validation and Archival Use

In some cases, identity systems must verify a document signed many years earlier, which requires long-term validation. ODF supports long-term authentication because its XML structure is future-proof: it can store timestamps, revocation data and certificate chains, and it avoids vendor-specific cryptographic formats.

In legal, regulatory and archival contexts, this aspect is more important than speed. Formats that rely on proprietary rendering engines risk becoming unreadable over time, whereas ODF remains readable, even many years later.

ODF in Zero Trust Workflows

In Zero …

Tokyo, Japan – The LibreOffice Asia Conference 2025 is scheduled to take place on December 13-14, 2025, at the Internet Initiative Japan Inc. headquarters in Iidabashi Grand Bloom, Tokyo. The event will bring together the Asian Open Source community to discuss developments in LibreOffice, the OpenDocument Format (ODF), and related technologies.

The conference features a diverse lineup of international speakers covering various technical and community-oriented topics. Below is an overview of the sessions organized by the speakers’ regions.

Indonesia: Massive Contribution and Regeneration

The Indonesian delegation brings a strong spirit of sharing. Diah Asyanti will recount the inspiring journey of open document adoption by educators in Indonesia, a significant step for the education sector. Community sustainability is also a key focus for Ahmad Haris, who will thoroughly explore the challenges and strategies for regenerating young talent in FOSS projects.

Equally engaging, Rania Amina invites participants to dive into the fun side of contributing to LibreOffice, debunking the myth that contribution is difficult or boring. For technical enthusiasts, Sartika Lestari is ready to share practical tips on LibreOffice automation using Python ScriptForge.

Japan: Host with Technical and Community Focus

As the host, the Japanese community presents topics highly relevant for both new users and developers. Kenta Ito & Yuichi Kojima will lead a beginner-friendly session designed to help users transition smoothly to LibreOffice Writer.

On the innovation front, Koji Annoura will introduce “Dana Language,” an intriguing new approach to intent-driven automation. Meanwhile, Saburo Yoshida will open perspectives on how contributing to LibreOffice is inclusive and not limited to programming skills alone.

Germany: Standards and Business

Perspectives from Europe, specifically Germany, will enrich participants’ understanding of standards and business. Svante Schubert will emphasize why the OASIS OpenDocument Format (ODF) standard is crucial for long-term interoperability. Complementing this, Lothar K. Becker will dissect how Open Source has become a strategic competitive factor for the private sector.

Taiwan: Customization and Debugging

Experts from Taiwan are set to share deep technical techniques. Jia, Jun Xu will demonstrate how customizing key components can significantly boost productivity. For those who love problem-solving, Buo-ren Lin & Po-Yen Huang will introduce the unique “Vibe-debugging” method to tackle bugs in LibreOffice.

Other International Participation

The conference is further colored by speakers from around the globe. From India, Manish Bera will share effective strategies for growing the LibreOffice community. Tomaž Vajngerl from Slovenia will showcase cutting-edge features in Collabora Online.

Important updates regarding the community and ODF status in South Korea will be delivered by DaeHyun Sung. Finally, Eyal Rozenberg will raise vital issues regarding non-Western script support, uniting the interests of RTL and CJK language communities.

The LibreOffice Asia Conference 2025 aims to foster collaboration among Asian communities and promote the advancement of free and open-source office software.

Registration and Participation Details

Participation in the conference is free of charge, but advance registration is required via the Connpass platform.

• Registration Link
• Fee: Free
• Venue: Internet Initiative Japan Inc. Head Office, Iidabashi Grand Bloom, Tokyo

Important Notice for International Participants

The Connpass registration system …

LibreOffice is made by hundreds of people around the world. In many countries, we have active communities that organise events, do local marketing, and help users in their local language.

But while we have many users and contributors in the United States of America, so far we haven’t built up an active local community. Of course, part of this is due to the size of the country – the US is huge, so getting people together isn’t easy.

Nonetheless, we want to try! There are many things we’d like to do in the US with LibreOffice, such as:

• Creating merchandise designs for events and giveaways
• Working on local marketing materials and advocacy projects
• Organising meetups to bring contributors and users together

To get things going, we’ve created some communication groups and a social media channel. Our Discord server has a few channels which are also bridged to Matrix, so join one of those and let’s start discussing ideas. We also have the LibreOfficeUS Mastodon account where we’ll be posting updates.

We look forward to seeing you there

We’re just over half-way through the Month of LibreOffice, November 2025. And already, 219 contributors have won cool LibreOffice sticker packs! Details on how to claim them will be provided at the end of the month, but if you don’t see your name (or username) on that page, it’s not too late to join…

How to take part

There are many ways you can help out – and you don’t need to be a developer. For instance, you can be a:

• Handy Helper, answering questions from users on Ask LibreOffice. We’re keeping an eye on that site so if you give someone useful advice, you can claim your shiny stickers.

• First Responder, helping to confirm new bug reports: Go to our Bugzilla page and look for new bugs. If you can recreate one, add a comment like “CONFIRMED on Windows 11 and LibreOffice 25.8.3”.

• Drum Beater, spreading the word: Tell everyone about LibreOffice on Mastodon, Bluesky or X (Twitter)! Just say why you love it or what you’re using it for, add the #libreoffice hashtag, and at the end of the month you can claim your stickers.

• Globetrotter, translating the user interface: LibreOffice is available in a wide range of languages, but its interface translations need to be kept up-to-date. Or maybe you want to translate the suite to a whole new language? Get involved here.

• Code Cruncher, contributing source code: The codebase is big, but there are lots of places to get involved with small jobs. See our Developers page on the website and this page on the wiki to get started.

• Docs Doctor, writing documentation: Whether you want to update the online help or add chapters to the handbooks, here’s where to start.

So, two more weeks to go! We’ll be posting more updates on this blog and our Mastodon, Bluesky and X (Twitter) accounts…

Digital sovereignty, or the ability of nations, organisations and individuals to control their own digital destiny, is a fundamental issue of the 21st century. At the heart of this challenge lies a seemingly trivial question: who controls the format of the documents that contain our intellectual property or personal information?

In this context, the standard and open Open Document Format (ODF) – the native format of LibreOffice documents, also supported by other suites – is the fundamental technology for those seeking true digital independence.

Digital sovereignty includes the ability to control access to one’s own information without depending on third parties, to make independent technological choices based on one’s own needs, to ensure independent access to strategic data without depending on the commercial interests of Big Tech, and to maintain this technological self-determination in the face of market consolidation.

When government agencies, businesses, or citizens store their documents in proprietary formats controlled by Big Tech, they surrender part of their sovereignty and depend on these external entities to access their own information.

Why document formats are important for sovereignty

Document formats are infrastructure, which—like roads, power grids, or telecommunications networks—are fundamental to the functioning of modern societies. Consider what happens when strategic documents exist only in formats controlled by a single vendor:

• Vendor Lock-In: Organisations find themselves trapped, unable to switch to alternative software without costly conversion processes and potential data loss.
• Loss of Control: formats can and do change without notice and beyond the control of users, increasing the effect of vendor lock-in.
• Fragility of Access: if the vendor controlling the format changes the format or discontinues support, as was the case with Windows 10, access to documents becomes problematic or impossible.
• Economic Dependency: The cost of the licence required to perform software updates creates a relationship of economic dependency in order to access one’s own data, and effectively transfers ownership of the data to the vendor that controls the format.

Why ODF is the only tool for digital sovereignty

ODF is governed by OASIS, an international standardisation organisation that protects its transparent development, and is published as ISO/IEC 26300-2015 (and soon ISO/IEC 26300-2025). Unlike proprietary formats, ODF specifications are public and can be freely implemented, are developed through a transparent, multi-stakeholder process, are not controlled by a single government or company, and are subject to international standardisation bodies.

This means that governments and companies can participate in defining the format specifications, rather than being forced to passively accept changes imposed by a single vendor based on its commercial strategies.

Thus, ODF specifications allow anyone to create an office suite that natively supports the format and promotes digital sovereignty, without any authorisation, licence fees or fear of legal action, while supporting the local software industry.

ODF enables true interoperability, not only between different software packages, but also between countries, languages and political systems. A document created in Brazil can be opened and edited in India, Germany or Japan using locally developed software. This breaks …

Berlin, 13 November 2025 – LibreOffice 25.8.3, the third minor release of the free, volunteer-supported office suite for personal productivity in office environments, for Windows, MacOS and Linux, is now available at www.libreoffice.org/download. The new version fixes 70 issues compared to the previous release, which came out in October [1].

LibreOffice 25.8.3 is based on the LibreOffice Technology, which enables the development of desktop, mobile and cloud versions – either from TDF or from the ecosystem – that fully supports the two document format standards: the open ODF or Open Document Format (ODT, ODS and ODP), and the closed and proprietary Microsoft OOXML (DOCX, XLSX and PPTX). Products based on the LibreOffice Technology are available for all major desktop operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS), mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and the cloud.

For enterprise-class deployments, TDF recommends the LibreOffice Enterprise optimized versions from ecosystem companies, with dedicated value-added features and other benefits such as SLAs and security patch backports for three to five years (www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-in-business/).

English manuals for the LibreOffice 25.8 family are available for download at https://books.libreoffice.org/en/. End users can get first-level technical support from volunteers on user mailing lists and Ask LibreOffice website: ask.libreoffice.org.

Downloading LibreOffice

All available versions of LibreOffice for the desktop can be downloaded from the same website: www.libreoffice.org/download/. To improve the interoperability with Microsoft 365, we suggest installing the Microsoft Aptos font from this web page: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/font-list/aptos.

LibreOffice enterprise and individual users can support The Document Foundation and the LibreOffice project by making a donation: www.libreoffice.org/donate.

[1] Fixes in RC1: wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/25.8.3/RC1. Fixes in RC2: wiki.documentfoundation.org/Releases/25.8.3/RC2.