Digital identity has become an integral part of everyday life. We use it to access work tools and sign documents online, and it is even replacing physical identity cards. However, most discussions on the subject focus on authentication systems, encryption and biometrics, ignoring the formats that actually carry our information.
This is where the OpenDocument Format (ODF) quietly becomes important. At first glance, ODF appears to be a straightforward alternative to proprietary formats. However, its features give it a broader role in an increasingly digital world based on identity and trust.
ODF files can be read by users because they use a standard version of the XML schema, are well documented, and are free from any constraints. This transparency is essential when documents become part of identity-related workflows.
In most systems, identity is not just a login, but a collection of artefacts such as contracts, certificates, licences, registrations and evidence. These artefacts often exist in document form: for example, a signed agreement can represent authorisation, a certificate can establish credentials and a form can activate access.
When documents play this role, the format is important because if it is opaque, closed or controlled by a single vendor — the OOXML format has all these characteristics — it cannot guarantee long-term trust. ODF, on the other hand, is transparent, open, predictable and verifiable, and is developed by a consortium of companies. Anyone can verify how documents are structured, how metadata is stored and how signatures are applied.
Modern authentication goes beyond usernames and passwords to include digital signatures, document-level permissions, and audit trails. ODF supports all these elements practically: digital signatures can be embedded in ODF files, metadata can capture authorship, timestamps, and revision history, and version tracking can establish who changed what and when.
Because the format is open, these features can be independently validated. There is no need to trust a ‘black box’ to confirm whether a document is authentic or altered.
Furthermore, digital identity systems rarely exist in isolation. Governments, businesses and individuals use different platforms. Interoperability is not an option, but a requirement.
The open ODF standard facilitates the exchange of documents between identity systems without compromising trust. Documents created in one system can be verified in another without losing their structure or meaning. This is important for cross-border use cases, public sector documents, and long-term archives, where documents may need to be validated decades later.
Identity does not always equate to real-time access. Will the document still be accessible in 20 years’ time? Will its signature still be verifiable? Will its content still be controllable?
ODF was designed with longevity in mind. Because it is not tied to the strategies of any single company, it is particularly well suited to documents that need to outlive specific software products or authentication platforms. For digital identity, this durability is a subtle yet fundamental advantage.
Therefore, ODF does not replace authentication systems, identity providers or cryptographic protocols. That is not its purpose. Rather, ODF is a reliable container; a means of storing, exchanging and preserving identity-related documents without introducing unnecessary risks or dependencies.
In an ideal digital identity stack, ODF operates silently in the background to determine how trust is built and maintained. In the era of digital identity and authentication, this makes ODF more relevant than ever.