ODT means OpenDocument Text. It is a file format that describes word-processing documents. It is an open standard, and fits into the OpenDocument Format (ODF) family of office document formats. As mentioned before, the ODT files can consist of texts, images, objects and styles. They employ the use of XML based file formatting. This format is perhaps the most common format used in many open source office applications.

Purpose of ODT files

ODT files are used often for writing and editing text documents like letter, reports, and resume. Due to their compatibility and flexibility, they are preferred mostly in open source environments. They are also largely used in document sharing between one or more interfaces.

File Category

The ODT file belongs to the category of Document Files.

File Extension and MIME Type

The file extension is ".odt".
The MIME type is "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text".
This helps systems to decide the correct way of identifying ODT files. It exists in the OpenDocument Format (ODF) format.

File Signature and Structure

ODT files start with "PK" and ODT is a zipped XML. They use ZIP compression. This internal structure consists of many XML files, and the contents of all the XML files are listed below. These files also separate the content, style, and the data describing the content and styles. The main content is in the "content.xml".

Hex Signature: 50 4B 03 04

Compression and Encoding Protocols

ODT files are in zip format, which reduces their size. They only support two-character encoding protocols, namely UTF-8 and UTF-16. The compression does not distort any contents of a document. Data stays available in one or multiple systems.

History and Development of ODT File

Origin of the ODT Format

ODT emerged in 2000. It was Sun Microsystems company that started the development. The objective was to open up a document standard. They wished to give a near-perfect solution to proprietary formats.

Key Contributors

The format was developed by the OASIS consortium. OpenOffice.org also made certain contributions. Contributions from developers all over the world towards the making of the standard cannot be ignored. They also keep enhancing the format regarding the improvement of the community.

Evolution and Milestones