OnlyOffice

OnlyOffice (formerly TeamLab), stylized as ONLYOFFICE, is a free software office suite and ecosystem of collaborative applications. It consists of online editors for text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms and PDFs, and the room-based collaborative platform.

OnlyOffice
Developer(s)Ascensio System SIA
Stable release
8.1.0[1] Edit this on Wikidata / 20 June 2024
Repositorygithub.com/ONLYOFFICE
Written inHTML, JavaScript, C++
Operating system
Available in25 languages
TypeOffice Suite, Project management, Collaboration, CRM, Document Management
License
Websitewww.onlyoffice.com

OnlyOffice is delivered either as SaaS or as an installation for deployment on a private network. Access to the system is provided through a private online portal.

OnlyOffice Docs

OnlyOffice includes an online editing suite called OnlyOffice Docs which comprises:

  • Document editor (styling and formatting tools, objects, table of contents, bookmarks, document comparison, mail merge, etc).
  • Spreadsheet editor (functions and formulas, table templates, named ranges, charts, equations, pivot tables, conditional formatting, macros, etc).
  • Presentation editor (formatting tools, objects, style options, transitions, animations, Presenter mode, Slide Master).
  • PDF editor (text editing, adding/deleting/rotating pages, inserting objects, text annotations, including highlight, underline, cross out; comments, freehand drawings).
  • PDF form creator & filler (PDF forms, multiple fillable fields, extended field properties).

The suite also allows collaborative editing.[2] Communication tools include commenting, chatting, Zoom, Jitsi, and Rainbow plugins for audio and video calls.[3] The editors also provide revision history and change-tracking features.

The beta version of OnlyOffice Docs predecessor, Teamlab Document Editor, was introduced at CeBIT 2012 in Hannover. The product was built using Canvas, a part of HTML5 that allows dynamic, scriptable rendering of 2D shapes and bitmap images.[4]

The basic formats used by OnlyOffice Docs are OOXML (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX) and DOCXF and OFORM. Other types of supported formats (ODT, DOC, RTF, EPUB, MHT, HTML, HTM, ODS, XLS, CSV, ODP, PPT, DOTX, XLTX, POTX, OTT, OTS, OTP, XML, XPS, DjVu and PDF-A) are processed with inner conversion to DOCX, XLSX or PPTX if editing is possible.

The suite's functionality can be extended using plugins (side applications). Users can choose from the existing list of plugins or create their own applications using the provided API.[5] OnlyOffice Docs also supports integration via WOPI.[6]

OnlyOffice DocSpace

OnlyOffice DocSpace is a cloud collaboration platform by OnlyOffice that combines online editors and a sharing environment based on rooms.[7]

Rooms of different types can be created:

  • In Collaboration rooms, users have access to all editing tools in the editors and can freely access any content.
  • In Public rooms, it is possible to invite users via external links to allow them to view files without registration, as well as embed the room contents into web interfaces.
  • In Custom rooms, following roles can be granted: room manager, power user, viewer, editor, commenter, reviewer, and form filler, with corresponding level of access to the files in the room.

Along with various access levels, DocSpace admins can adjust the security settings to control the login procedure and prevent data leaks, including such options as 2FA and Single Sign-On, trusted mail domains and session lifetime, IP restriction, etc.[8]

OnlyOffice DocSpace integrations

For developers and integrators, OnlyOffice provides open API which allows integrating DocSpace into own web applications – both separate rooms or the whole space.[9]

IntegrationDevelopersLanguagesLicenseCurrent versionFeatures
ZoomAscensio System SIAC#, HTML, CSSGNU AGPL v3.02.0.0
  • Collaborating on office documents during Zoom Meetings
  • Managing files between meetings via the DocSpace account
WordPressAscensio System SIAPHP, JavaScript, CSSGPL-2.02.1.0
  • Adding DocSpace rooms or files to the WordPress pages
  • Storing, editing, collaborating on documents without leaving the WordPress interface
DrupalAscensio System SIAPHP, JavaScript, CSS, TwigGPL-2.01.0.0
  • Embedding office documents into a Drupal website
  • Managing documents from the Drupal account
ZapierAscensio System SIAJavaScriptApache-2.01.0.1
  • Automating workflow using zaps for DocSpace and various apps like Asana, Slack, HubSpot, Discord, Linear, etc.

Implemented AI technologies

In February 2023, OnlyOffice released the first version of the ChatGPT plugin[10] with a basic set of features, such as text generation based on a user’s prompt, question answering, translation, text summarization and conversation-style communication.[11]

In January 2024, version 1.1.4 of the plugin was released which provided new tools for document editing and access to GPT-4.[12]

Another AI helper integrated in OnlyOffice is the ZhiPu Copilot plugin which supports Chinese language and uses the local knowledge base.[13]

International editions

International editions of OnlyOffice in various countries include:

  • CloudStor Online collaborative documents by AARNet, Australia's national research and education network, was based on the OnlyOffice office suite.[14] CloudStor was decommissioned by AARNet in December 2023.[15]
  • In Czechia, OnlyOffice is marketed as a part of the IceWarp solution, a Czech alternative to M365 or GSuite.[16][17]
  • The integration between the OnlyOffice suite and Jalios JPlatform (France) enables users to author and co-author text documents, spreadsheets and presentations online from their Jalios platform.[18]
  • Document, presentation, and spreadsheet editors within the encrypted office suite CryptPad (France) is an integration of OnlyOffice.[19]
  • OnlyOffice is used in ByCS (BayernCloud Schule), the platform for digital support in everyday school life launched in Bavaria, Germany.[20][21]
  • Teppi Technology, a Japanese developer of file sharing and search systems, integrated OnlyOffice in the enterprise search engine called FileBlog.[22]
  • OnlyOffice document, spreadsheet and presentation editors are marketed as R7-Office in Russia.[23]
  • Infomaniak (Switzerland) integrated OnlyOffice into the kDrive suite under their brand to provide users with the ability to edit office documents.[24]
  • PDFFiller (USA) which offers native OnlyOffice Documents PDF Editor.[25]

Technology

OnlyOffice Docs (Document Server) maintains text document, spreadsheet, presentation, PDF, and form editors, and is technologically based on HTML5 Canvas, JavaScript SDK, and Node.js for server-side scripting.

OnlyOffice DocSpace is based on the .NET Core and the latest version of .NET for the server side, and React for the client side. Other technological components for the back-end include С#, MySQL, Kafka, ElasticSearch; for the front-end — ES6, CSS/SASS, Mobx, Styled-Components, i18next, Webpack 4/5.

OnlyOffice Workspace comprises Document Server, Community Server, and Mail Server. The Community Server is written in ASP.NET for Windows and in Mono for Linux and distributions. The Mail Server is based on the iRedMail package which consists of Postfix, Dovecot, SpamAssassin, ClamAV, OpenDKIM, Fail2ban.

Desktop and mobile apps

OnlyOffice Desktop is an offline version of OnlyOffice editing suite.[26] The desktop application supports collaborative editing features when connected to the portal,[27] Nextcloud, ownCloud,[28] kDrive,[29] Seafile,[30] or Liferay. It is offered free of charge for both personal and commercial usage.

The desktop editors are cross-platform available for Windows XP or later (x86 and x64), Debian, Ubuntu and RPM-based Linux distributions, macOS 10.10 and newer, including computers built on Apple Silicon. Besides platform-specific versions there is also a portable option. OnlyOffice Desktop Editors are available for installation as Flatpak, snap and AppImage packages on Linux.

In early 2019, OnlyOffice announced the launch of a developer preview of end-to-end encryption of documents (files themselves, online editing and collaboration) that involves blockchain technology and is included in the functionality of the desktop suite.[31] In 2020, the developers announced Private Rooms based on AES-256 algorithm and RSA asymmetric encryption.[32]

OnlyOffice Desktop Editor is available by default in the following operating systems:

NameAvailability
Br OSPre-installed
Cutefish OSAvailable in official store
DeepinAvailable in official store
Escuelas LinuxPre-installed
LinkatPre-installed
LinspirePre-installed
Linux MintAvailable in official store
LinuxFXPre-installed
ManjaroAvailable in Pamac
risiOSPre-installed
SparkyLinuxPre-installed
UbuntuAvailable in official store
Zorin OSAvailable in official store

History

  • In 2009, a group of software developers from Ascensio System SIA (Latvian-based) and New Communication Technologies (Russian-based) launched a project called TeamLab, a platform for internal team collaboration.[33]
  • In March 2012, TeamLab introduced the first HTML5-based online document editors at CeBIT.[34]
  • In July 2014, TeamLab Office was officially rebranded to OnlyOffice and the source code of the product was published on SourceForge and GitHub on terms of AGPL-3.0.[35]
  • In March 2016, the developers released a desktop application – OnlyOffice Desktop Editors, which is positioned as an open-source alternative to Microsoft Office.[36]
  • In February 2017, the first integration app for ownCloud/Nextcloud was launched.[37]
  • In January 2022, the project introduced OnlyOffice Forms.[38]
  • In May 2022, a new office branch was opened in Tashkent, Uzbekistan as a development hub.[39]
  • In April 2023, OnlyOffice released new solution – OnlyOffice DocSpace.[40]
  • In August 2023, OnlyOffice opened a holding company in Singapore and incorporated all the existing branches (those in Latvia, USA, UK, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Serbia) under the one brand. Ascensio System SIA was to become 100% owned by the British-based Ascensio System Ltd, which in its turn was to become 100% owned by OnlyOffice Capital Group Pte. Ltd. The beneficiaries of OnlyOffice Capital Group Pte. Ltd. are listed in the registry of Singapore companies by ACRA. [41]
  • In October 2023, OnlyOffice released the native PDF editor.[42]
  • In February 2024, OnlyOffice introduced RTL support.[43]
  • In June 2024, OnlyOffice released the full-featured PDF editor.[44]

See also

References

Media related to Onlyoffice at Wikimedia Commons