LibreOffice Online Makes a Comeback: The Open Source Suite Returns to the Web

In a surprising turn of events, The Document Foundation (TDF) has officially brought LibreOffice Online back from the dead. After a two-year hiatus, during which the project was shelved and archived, the Board has reversed its 2022 decision, reopened the repository, and extended an open invitation to the community to resume development under upstream governance.

For those who may not be familiar, LibreOffice Online is the web-based version of the popular open-source office suite. Rather than installing the desktop application, users can access LibreOffice through their web browser, with the suite rendering documents on a server and streaming the interface directly to the browser. This allows for remote editing and collaboration on documents, using the same LibreOffice core that powers the desktop version. It supports Writer, Calc, and Impress, making it a versatile tool for document creation, spreadsheets, and presentations. Designed for integration with cloud platforms and self-hosted collaboration environments, LibreOffice Online was poised to be a strong competitor to proprietary web-based office suites.

However, in 2022, TDF’s Board made the controversial decision to freeze the LibreOffice Online project. Development halted, the repository was archived, and while ecosystem vendors continued to maintain their own related solutions, there was no actively developed upstream LibreOffice Online under direct Foundation governance. This decision left many in the open-source community disappointed, as it seemed to signal a step back from web-based collaboration tools.

Fortunately, the Board has now reversed this decision and explicitly revoked the earlier freeze. In an announcement on the community forum, TDF outlined its commitment to restoring a community-driven upstream codebase. However, it’s important to clarify that this restart does not mean TDF will operate a cloud office service similar to Google Docs or Microsoft 365. The Foundation has made it clear that it will not host an enterprise-grade SaaS platform or provide commercial support services. Instead, the focus is on revitalizing the open-source project and empowering the community to drive its development forward.

For organizations seeking hosted or commercially supported offerings, TDF encourages reliance on ecosystem partners. This approach ensures that the project remains true to its open-source roots while allowing businesses to access the services they need through trusted providers.

While this news is undoubtedly exciting for fans of LibreOffice and open-source software in general, it’s worth noting that the project is still a long way from being a ready-to-use product. The code requires further work, review, and modernization before it can be considered production-ready. This means that while the door has been reopened, there is still much to be done before LibreOffice Online can once again be a viable alternative to proprietary web-based office suites.

The revival of LibreOffice Online is a testament to the power of community-driven development and the resilience of open-source projects. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a diverse ecosystem of software solutions, where users have the freedom to choose tools that align with their values and needs.

For more information on this development, you can read the official announcement from The Document Foundation here.

Image credits: LibreOffice

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