The development of LibreOffice Online, a project that allows users to utilize the office suite via the web, has been approved for resumption by The Document Foundation’s Board of Directors. This online version of LibreOffice offers a client-server architecture, providing a remote work option comparable to services like Google Docs and Office 365. The server runs LibreOffice Core, handling document, spreadsheet, and presentation layout and rendering, while the interface rendering takes place on the front end in the user’s browser.
Originally put on hold in 2022, LibreOffice Online’s development ceased in 2020 when the project transitioned to Collabora Online. Collabora, a key contributor to LibreOffice Online’s development, created a fork in their repository and continued work under the brand Collabora Online. Maintaining an open development approach, Collabora Online offers the Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE) for swift deployment on servers.
Controversy arose when it was alleged that former board members voted to freeze LibreOffice Online in 2022 under conflict of interest circumstances. The current Board of Directors recognized the changed situation and reversed the freezing decision. They now plan to open the LibreOffice Online repository to community contributions, with a caution about its status until deemed safe and ready for use.
Michael Meeks, a Collabora employee and a board member of The Document Foundation, refuted claims of limiting Collabora Online downloads, affirming that the package remains freely accessible to all users. The ongoing development of the code base continues in the public Collabora Online repository.