A free, familiar office suite that still gets the basics right

Apache OpenOffice: a classic, no‑cost office suite for everyday work on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If the goal is to create documents in Writer, manage budgets in Calc, or build a quick slide deck in Impress—without subscriptions—OpenOffice keeps things simple, stable, and familiar, with a straightforward OpenOffice download and modest system requirements.

Apache OpenOffice bundles six core tools—OpenOffice Writer, OpenOffice Calc, Impress, Draw, Base, and Math—covering most personal and small‑business scenarios from letters to ledgers to slides. It solves a budget and compatibility need: create and open OpenDocument files (and various other formats) on older or mixed‑OS machines with an interface that doesn’t overwhelm newcomers. The suite is free to use, free to share, and runs on desktop systems without requiring online accounts—a comfort for privacy‑minded or offline‑first users.

OpenOffice is a native desktop suite written in C++ with a long heritage from OpenOffice.org and StarOffice, maintained under the Apache Software Foundation with an Apache‑licensed codebase. It is open source and packaged per OS with signed binaries and source archives; the project encourages checksum and signature verification for a safe install.

Apache OpenOffice keeps documents on the device by default—no forced cloud storage—reducing exposure for users who prefer to avoid online syncing. The project’s release process emphasizes integrity: downloads are signed, and users are urged to verify checksums and signatures to ensure safe installation, which is especially important given third‑party mirrors on the web. Performance‑wise, the suite’s modest system requirements mean it runs acceptably on older hardware, and it supports displays at 1024×768 and above.

Beyond the core apps, Apache OpenOffice supports extensions and templates to add features or speed up common tasks, from clip art libraries to specialized converters and macros. Calc offers functions, charts, and data tools expected in a spreadsheet, while Writer handles styles, mail merge, and long‑document features; Impress provides slide layouts, animations, and media support for presentations, and Draw handles vector graphics and diagrams for flowcharts or posters.

OpenOffice and LibreOffice often come up in comparison since LibreOffice branched from the same codebase and has continued to develop at a faster pace. LibreOffice markets itself as the “evolution of OpenOffice,” with more frequent updates, expanded features, and improved Microsoft Office compatibility, while OpenOffice updates are less frequent and focused on stability. Licensing also differs: OpenOffice uses the Apache License, while LibreOffice uses LGPLv3/MPL; that asymmetry allows LibreOffice to incorporate OpenOffice code more easily than the other way around. Practically speaking, OpenOffice remains a good fit for basic, stable needs on older or mixed systems, while LibreOffice tends to win for new features, quicker bug fixes, and modern file compatibility.