| Collabora Online | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Collabora Online in a web browser on a Chromebook | |
| Developer | Collabora |
| Initial release | 2 June 2016; 9 years ago (2016-06-02)[1] |
| Stable release | 25.04.6.3[2]  / 3 November 2025 |
| Preview release | 25.04.7.2[3] / 18 November 2025 |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | C++,JavaScript |
| Operating system | Online and CODE: Server: Linux, Clients: All devices with a modern web browser Apps: Android, ChromeOS, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, macOS and Windows |
| Platform | Online and CODE:ARM64,PPC64 andx86-64 Apps:ARM32,ARM64,IA-32 andx86-64 |
| Standard | OpenDocument |
| Available in | 43 languages |
List of languages Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Basque, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese (Simplified Han script), Chinese (Traditional Han script), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English (UK), English (US), Esperanto, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and Welsh.[4] Collabora Office is available in 123 languages[5] | |
| Type | Office Suite,Collaboration |
| License | MPL-2.0 and others |
| Website | collaboraonline |
Collabora Online (often abbreviated as COOL) is an open-sourceonline office suite developed byCollabora, based onLibreOffice Online, the web-based edition of theLibreOffice office suite. It enablesreal-time collaborative editing ofdocuments,spreadsheets,presentations, andvector graphics in a web browser.[6] Optional applications are available for offline use onAndroid,ChromeOS,iOS,iPadOS,Linux distributions,macOS, andWindows. It supports theOpenDocument format and is compatible with other major formats, including those used byMicrosoft Office. Collabora is a commercial partner ofThe Document Foundation (TDF), the nonprofit organization behind LibreOffice. TDF states that a majority of the LibreOffice software development is done by its commercial partners like Collabora.[7]
Collabora Online is anopen-source alternative to proprietary cloud office platforms such asGoogle Workspace andMicrosoft 365. Unlike these services, it can be self-hosted or hosted by third-party providers. The platform is marketed particularly toward enterprises and public institutions seeking greater digital sovereignty and independence from U.S.-based "big tech" companies.
Collabora also developsCollabora Office, a standalone desktop and mobile app suite based on LibreOffice. Although Collabora Online has increasingly taken on a central role, both products may be used in parallel, similar toMicrosoft Office and Microsoft 365.
A separate version, theCollabora Online Development Edition (CODE), is offered free of charge and is recommended for individuals, small teams, and developers. CODE provides early access to new features and serves as a testing and development platform for open-source community contributors. As TDF does not offer a free version of LibreOffice Online, CODE represents the primary freely available option for organizations and individuals interested in deploying LibreOffice in a web-based, collaborative setting.
Collabora Online includes several applications for document editing, available through the web-based interface and optional desktop and mobile apps:
Collabora Online can be accessed from modernweb browsers without the need for plug-ins or add-ons. It supports real-time collaborative editing of word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and vector graphics.[8][9] Collaboration features include commenting, version tracking with document comparison and restoration, and integration with communication tools such as chat or video calls. These functions are often enabled through integration with enterprise open-source cloud platforms likeNextcloud,ownCloud,Seafile,EGroupware and others.[10] Collabora Online can also be embedded or integrated into a variety of third-party applications.
Although client apps are not required to use the web-based suite, optional applications are available foroffline use onAndroid,ChromeOS,iOS,iPadOS,Linux distributions,macOS, andWindows.[11] These apps share the same LibreOffice-based core as the server version, ensuring document compatibility across platforms. Development of the LibreOffice core benefits both the online server and the client applications simultaneously.[12][13] The mobile apps offer touch-optimized interfaces that adapt to different screen sizes and can be used offline, with optional integration intocloud storage services.[14][15][16]
Collabora Online supportsOpenDocument formats (ODF;.odt,.odp,.ods,.odg) in accordance with ISO/IEC 26300.[17][18] It is also compatible with Microsoft Office formats, includingOffice Open XML (.docx,.pptx,.xlsx) and legacy binary formats (.doc,.ppt,.xls). Additional supported formats includePDF,PNG,CSV,TSV,RTF,EPUB, and others. The suite can import a range of formats supported by LibreOffice, includingMicrosoft Visio andPublisher files,Apple Keynote,Numbers, andPages files, as well as legacy formats used byLotus 1-2-3,Microsoft Works, andQuattro Pro.[19][20]
The core of Collabora Online is written inC++ and utilizes LibreOfficeKit, a programming interface that enables reuse of much of LibreOffice's existing code for document saving, loading, and rendering. Collabora Online operates on the principle that documents remain on the server, with users viewing tile-rendered images of the document and sending their edits back to the server. The user interface is implemented inJavaScript. For file access and authentication with file hosting services, Collabora Online usesMicrosoft'sWOPI protocol, allowing compatibility with any service supporting Microsoft 365 integration.[21]
The server component can be self-hosted or deployed through third-party enterprise open-source cloud platforms, allowing organizations to maintain control over data and infrastructure. It is available for various Linux distributions and as aDocker image.[8][22][23] The server enables features such as in-browser document editing, file synchronization, and real-time communication.[9]
These third-party cloud platforms typically offer additional functionality comparable to services such as Dropbox, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or Zoom, including file sharing, calendars, email, contacts, chat, and video conferencing. Collabora Online can be integrated into these applications, as well as with other services such as learning management systems and enterprise content platforms, through openAPIs and anSDK.[24]
Various online and print publications have discussed Collabora Online. In December 2016 the technology websiteSoftpedia mentioned the availability of collaborative editing in version 2.0 and the integration with ownCloud, Nextcloud, and other file synchronization and sharing solutions.[25] In June 2020,ZDNET reported that Collabora Online would be included as the standard office suite in Nextcloud version 19, noting that direct document editing was added to the native video conferencing software Talk.[26] The technology blogOMG! Ubuntu! covered the release of Collabora's Android and iOS apps, emphasizing their offline functionality.[27] In September 2020,Linux Magazine compared Collabora Online withOnlyOffice, noting the flexibility and platform independence of both tools and highlighting Collabora's extensive feature set derived from LibreOffice.[28]
Collabora Online's open-source design and support for self-hosting have made it notable in discussions about digital sovereignty—the ability of users and organizations to control their own data. This is particularly relevant in Europe, where concerns about dependence on U.S.-based "big tech" companies and data privacy have grown in recent years.
On 10th June 2025, Microsoft executives under oath in the French Senate admitted that they cannot guarantee data sovereignty and would be compelled to pass French (and by implication the wider European Union) information to the US administration if requested via a warrant or subpoena. The Cloud Act is a law that gives the US government authority to obtain digital data held by US-based tech corporations, irrespective of whether that data is stored on servers at home or on foreign soil.[29]
A 2020 briefing by theEuropean Parliament highlighted risks associated with reliance on major technology companies that collect and exploit user data.[30] Legal decisions such as theSchrems II ruling have further underscored these concerns.[31] Several European government agencies have adopted private cloud solutions using Collabora Online and related platforms to enhance data security and maintain control over sensitive information.[32][33][34]
The former LibreOffice development team fromSUSE joined Collabora in September 2013, forming the subsidiaryCollabora Productivity.[35] In 2015 Collabora andIceWarp announced the development of an enterprise-ready version ofLibreOffice Online to compete withGoogle Docs andOffice 365 (now called Microsoft 365).[36][37] In December 2015, the company's partnership with ownCloud and release ofCODE (Collabora Online Development Edition) was announced onJoinup.[38] In November 2016, Nextcloud announced their work and integration with v2.0 of CODE and their future work plans for improving performance, scalability, security and capabilities with Collabora Online.[39] In October 2020, Collabora announced the move of its work on Collabora Online from The Document Foundation infrastructure toGitHub.[40][41] A development version of Collabora Online is available called Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE).[42]
Collabora Productivity, the driving force behind putting LibreOffice in the Cloud, has released the first production grade version of Collabora Online, its flagship cloud document suite solution.
Collabora Online is a powerful LibreOffice-based online office suite with collaborative editing, which supports all major document, spreadsheet and presentation file formats and works in all modern browsers
TDF highlights that 73% of commits are from developers employed by these partners, including Collabora, Red Hat and CIB/allotropia
...the powerful cloud-based office suite that promises to protect users' privacy and freedom of expression while editing various document formats online. Collabora Online is mainly targeted at the enterprise world, hosting and cloud businesses.
...insert comments, to which other users can respond. A module for versioning completes the package. If desired, office solutions save different editing states of a document and reconstruct them again as needed. Users always have access to older versions of documents...
Nextcloud also has its own built-in video-conferencing and group meeting service: Nextcloud Talk. Here, the most interesting new feature is you can now edit office Collabora documents during video calls or from within a chat room.
...works entirely offline. ...support for integrations with cloud storage services, including NextCloud...
Collabora Office - This app is available only on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.
Collabora Office - LibreOffice based editor for Microsoft Office, LibreOffice and OpenOffice docs.
Collabora Office is a popular open-source alternative to the Microsoft Office suite. It's based on Libre Office, and it's available on a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. This year in July, a major update for the office suite brought support for ChromeOS devices.
...work with documents locally on your Chromebook...
...it works on desktop and mobile, and it will sync up between devices too, so you can start something on your desktop PC and then pick it up later on your phone and/or tablet.
For cross-platform use, the suite not only supports the Open Document Format (ODF) but also all newer Microsoft formats, which makes interaction with other office suites easier.
The software also supports PDF across all modules. If required, users can also convert text files to the ePub format for displaying appear on ebook readers or with desktop software for reading ePub files.
WOPI defines a set of operations that enables a client to access and change files stored by a server. This allows the client to render files and provide file editing functionality for files stored by the server.
Unlike Google or Microsoft, Collabora Productivity doesn't have the massive infrastructure required to offer CODE as a cloud based service. Instead, it offers the entire code as a product that users can install on their own servers.
With features like collaborative editing, Collabora Online 2.0 users will always be in control of their sensitive corporate data. [...] It also appears that Collabora Online fully integrates with both the popular ownCloud and Nextcloud self-hosting cloud server technologies.
...the most interesting new feature is you can now edit office Collabora documents during video calls or from within a chat room. Collabora is a SaaS version of the popular open-source LibreOffice office suite.
The app also works entirely offline. With no cloud or online service features come enabled by default or are required to use any of the included features (though naturally there's support for integrations with cloud storage services, including NextCloud, should you want it).
The differences are in the details. While Collabora draws on LibreOffice's enormous feature set, OnlyOffice focuses more strongly on efficient editing of office documents and therefore offers a number of less common functions. Both packages are very flexible when it comes to platform independence ranging from in-house desktop apps, through cloud-based web applications, to desktop editors and apps for mobile devices.
...touch optimized interfaces: one for tablets and one for phone screens. ...(iOS, iPadOS, Chromebooks, Android).
The two companies announced their partnership last week, making available an initial development release of Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE).
By having a single Online project hosted by Collabora, a clear brand story easily establishes an appropriate credit for the origin of the product into every reference to it by those using it for free. Just like the other prominent OSS projects we integrate with.
Collabora Online Development Edition can be set up On-Premise via Virtual appliance, Docker, Linux package, others.
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