Both of them are free to download and use, and they support a wide range of file formats, including the ones used by Microsoft Office. However, there are some differences between them that may affect your choice of which one to use.
In this article, we will compare LibreOffice and OpenOffice in terms of their history, development, compatibility, performance, and user interface.
History and Development
LibreOffice and OpenOffice have a common origin: they are both derived from StarOffice, a commercial office suite developed by StarDivision in the 1990s. In 1999, StarDivision was acquired by Sun Microsystems, which released the source code of StarOffice under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) and renamed it OpenOffice.org.
In 2010, Sun Microsystems was acquired by Oracle Corporation, which raised some concerns among the OpenOffice.org community about the future of the project.
As a result, some developers decided to fork the project and create a new office suite called LibreOffice, under the umbrella of The Document Foundation.
Since then, LibreOffice and OpenOffice have diverged in their development paths, with LibreOffice receiving more frequent updates and new features than OpenOffice.
Compatibility and Performance
Both LibreOffice and OpenOffice can read and write files in various formats, including the ones used by Microsoft Office (such as DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX).
However, LibreOffice has better compatibility with Microsoft Office files than OpenOffice, especially with newer versions of Microsoft Office. LibreOffice also supports more file formats than OpenOffice, such as EPUB, PDF/A, and ODF 1.3.
Additionally, LibreOffice has improved its performance and stability over the years, while OpenOffice has lagged behind in terms of bug fixes and optimization. LibreOffice also has a lower memory footprint than OpenOffice, which means it runs faster and smoother on most devices.
User Interface
Both LibreOffice and OpenOffice have a similar user interface that resembles the classic Microsoft Office interface, with menus, toolbars, and icons. However, LibreOffice has made some changes to its user interface that make it more modern and user-friendly than OpenOffice.
For example, LibreOffice has a sidebar that provides quick access to various formatting options and features, such as styles, fonts, colors, shapes, charts, etc.
LibreOffice also has a customizable ribbon-like interface that can be enabled or disabled according to user preference. Moreover, LibreOffice has more themes and icons than OpenOffice, which give it a more appealing look and feel.
LibreOffice and OpenOffice are both viable alternatives to Microsoft Office that offer similar functionality and features. However, LibreOffice has some advantages over OpenOffice that make it a better choice for most users.
LibreOffice has a more active development team that releases more frequent updates and new features than OpenOffice.
LibreOffice also has better compatibility with Microsoft Office files and supports more file formats than OpenOffice.
Furthermore, LibreOffice has a more modern and user-friendly user interface than OpenOffice that can be customized according to user preference.
Therefore, we recommend LibreOffice as the best open-source office suite for your needs.
