How do DOC and ODTcompare? Here's everything you need to know to choose the right format — and how to convert between them.
Microsoft Word Document (Legacy)
DOC is the legacy binary format used by Microsoft Word before 2007. While still widely encountered, it has been superseded by DOCX. Many older documents and templates still use this format.
Open Document Text
ODT is an open-standard document format used by LibreOffice, OpenOffice, and Google Docs. It's the free, vendor-neutral alternative to DOCX for word processing.
| Specification | DOC | ODT |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Microsoft Word Document (Legacy) | Open Document Text |
| Extension | .doc | .odt |
| MIME type | application/msword | application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.text |
| Category | Document | Document |
| Developer | Microsoft | OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) |
| Year introduced | 1983 | 2005 |
DOC and ODT serve different purposes. DOC is ideal for opening legacy documents, while ODT excels at government and public sector documents.
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