A Nextcloud ExApp that converts Markdown, HTML, and plain text files to ODT format directly within your Nextcloud instance. Available in the Nextcloud App Store and as a Docker image.

Powered by odf-kit — a zero-dependency JavaScript library for ODF document generation. No LibreOffice required.

License: AGPLv3
Runtime: Node.js 22, Express 5, ESM
App ID: odf_kit_service

• Export to ODT from the Nextcloud top menu — pick any Markdown, HTML, or plain text file and convert it to ODT with a single click
• Page format selection — A4 (Europe), Letter (USA), Legal, A3, or A5
• HTTP API for other ExApps and integrations
• No LibreOffice dependency — pure Node.js, runs anywhere

Install directly from the Nextcloud App Store. Requires a Docker-capable Nextcloud setup with AppAPI and a registered Deploy Daemon.

For FreeBSD, Linux without Docker, jails, or any environment where you run Node.js directly.

• Node.js 22 or later
• npm
• A running Nextcloud instance with AppAPI installed

git clone https://github.com/GitHubNewbie0/odf-kit-service.git
cd odf-kit-service
npm install --omit=dev

cp .env.example .env

Edit .env and set the following values:

APP_ID=odf_kit_service
APP_SECRET=              # Set this AFTER registration (see Step 4)
APP_VERSION=0.4.0
APP_HOST=0.0.0.0
APP_PORT=2600
AA_VERSION=2.0.0
NEXTCLOUD_URL=http://your-nextcloud-host
WEBDAV_URL=http://your-nextcloud-host

Linux (systemd):

Create /etc/systemd/system/odf-kit-service.service:

[Unit]
Description=odf-kit-service Nextcloud ExApp
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=www-data
WorkingDirectory=/path/to/odf-kit-service
EnvironmentFile=/path/to/odf-kit-service/.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node src/server.js
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Then:

systemctl enable odf-kit-service
systemctl start odf-kit-service

FreeBSD (rc.d):

Create /usr/local/etc/rc.d/odf_kit_service:

#!/bin/sh
# PROVIDE: odf_kit_service
# REQUIRE: NETWORKING
# KEYWORD: shutdown

. /etc/rc.subr

name="odf_kit_service"
rcvar="odf_kit_service_enable"
command="/usr/local/bin/node"
command_args="/path/to/odf-kit-service/src/server.js"
pidfile="/var/run/${name}.pid"

load_rc_config $name
run_rc_command "$1"

Then:

chmod +x /usr/local/etc/rc.d/odf_kit_service
sysrc odf_kit_service_enable=YES
service odf_kit_service start

Run this command from your Nextcloud directory (replace SECRET with a long random string, and update host and port to match your setup):

php occ app_api:app:register odf_kit_service manual_install \
  --force-scopes \
  --json-info '{
    "id": "odf_kit_service",
    "name": "odf-kit Service",
    "daemon_config_name": "manual_install",
    "version": "0.4.0",
    "secret": "SECRET",
    "host": "localhost",
    "port": 2600,
    "scopes": ["FILES"],
    "system": 0,
    "routes": [
      {"url": "/generate",     "verb": "POST", "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[401,500]"},
      {"url": "/fill",         "verb": "POST", "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[401,500]"},
      {"url": "/convert/odt",  "verb": "POST", "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[401,500]"},
      {"url": "/file-action",  "verb": "POST", "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[401,500]"},
      {"url": "ui",            "verb": "GET",  "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[]"},
      {"url": "ui",            "verb": "POST", "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[401,500]"},
      {"url": "img",           "verb": "GET",  "access_level": 1, "headers_to_exclude": "[]", "bruteforce_protection": "[]"}
    ]
  }'

After registration, retrieve the secret AppAPI generated and update your .env file:

# On your Nextcloud server (MariaDB/MySQL):
mysql -u root nextcloud -e "SELECT secret FROM oc_ex_apps WHERE appid='odf_kit_service';"

Copy the output and set it as APP_SECRET in your .env file, then restart the service.

php occ app_api:app:enable odf_kit_service

The Export to ODT icon will appear in the Nextcloud top navigation bar.

cd /path/to/odf-kit-service
git pull
npm install --omit=dev
# Restart the service

If the version number changed, update APP_VERSION in .env and re-register:

php occ app_api:app:unregister odf_kit_service --force
# Then repeat Step 4 with the new version number

Any Nextcloud app — PHP app, ExApp, or browser-based frontend — can call odf-kit-service via the AppAPI proxy. No knowledge of our host, port, or IP is needed.

Use Nextcloud's HTTP client with the AppAPI proxy URL:

use OCP\Http\Client\IClientService;

$response = $clientService->newClient()->post(
    'http://localhost/apps/app_api/proxy/odf_kit_service/convert/odt',
    [
        'json' => [
            'html'       => '<h1>Title</h1><p>Content</p>',
            'outputPath' => 'Documents/export.odt',
            'userId'     => $userId,
            'pageFormat' => 'A4',
        ],
        'headers' => [
            'AA-VERSION'              => '2.0.0',
            'EX-APP-ID'               => 'your-app-id',
            'AUTHORIZATION-APP-API'   => base64_encode($userId . ':' . $appSecret),
        ],
    ]
);

const NEXTCLOUD_URL = process.env.NEXTCLOUD_URL
const APP_SECRET    = process.env.APP_SECRET
const APP_ID        = process.env.APP_ID

async function convertToOdt(html, outputPath, userId) {
  const auth = Buffer.from(`${userId}:${APP_SECRET}`).toString('base64')

  const res = await fetch(`${NEXTCLOUD_URL}/apps/app_api/proxy/odf_kit_service/convert/odt`, {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      'Content-Type':           'application/json',
      'AA-VERSION':             process.env.AA_VERSION ?? '2.0.0',
      'EX-APP-ID':              APP_ID,
      'AUTHORIZATION-APP-API':  auth,
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ html, outputPath, userId, pageFormat: 'A4' }),
  })

  return res.json()
}

Use the AppAPI proxy with the Nextcloud request token:

const response = await fetch('/apps/app_api/proxy/odf_kit_service/convert/odt', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'requesttoken': OC.requestToken,
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    html:       '<h1>Title</h1><p>Content</p>',
    outputPath: 'Documents/export.odt',
    userId:     OC.currentUser,
    pageFormat: 'A4',
  }),
})
const data = await response.json()

All endpoints require AppAPIAuth (injected automatically by Nextcloud). /heartbeat is the only unauthenticated endpoint.

Users access the export UI via the Export to ODT icon in the Nextcloud top navigation bar. The UI allows selecting a file and page format, then converts and saves the ODT file next to the original.

Called by the top menu UI. Fetches a file from Nextcloud via WebDAV, converts it, and saves the ODT back to Nextcloud.

Body:

{
  "path": "/Documents/notes.md",
  "userId": "alice",
  "pageFormat": "A4"
}

Returns: { "status": "ok", "outputPath": "/Documents/notes.odt" }

Supported page formats: A4, letter, legal, A3, A5

Build a new ODT document from a JSON spec and save it to Nextcloud.

Body:

{
  "spec": {
    "metadata": { "title": "My Document", "creator": "Alice" },
    "content": [
      { "type": "heading", "text": "Hello", "level": 1 },
      { "type": "paragraph", "text": "Plain paragraph." }
    ]
  },
  "outputPath": "Documents/hello.odt",
  "userId": "alice"
}

Returns: { "fileId": "456" }

Fill an ODT template with data. Placeholders use {{key}} syntax.

Body:

{
  "templateFileId": 123,
  "data": {
    "customer": "Acme Corp",
    "date": "2026-03-19",
    "total": 245
  },
  "outputPath": "Documents/invoice-filled.odt",
  "userId": "alice"
}

Returns: { "fileId": "457" }

Convert an HTML string to ODT and save it to Nextcloud.

Body:

{
  "html": "<h1>Title</h1><p>Content</p>",
  "outputPath": "Documents/doc.odt",
  "userId": "alice",
  "pageFormat": "A4"
}

Returns: { "fileId": "458" }

Convert an ODT file to HTML.

Body:

{
  "fileId": 123,
  "userId": "alice"
}

Returns: { "html": "<h1>...</h1>" }

Convert an ODT file to Typst markup.

Body:

{
  "fileId": 123,
  "userId": "alice"
}

Returns: { "typst": "= Heading\n\nParagraph text." }

In Docker deployments, AppAPI injects APP_ID, APP_SECRET, APP_HOST, APP_PORT, APP_VERSION, APP_DISPLAY_NAME, APP_PERSISTENT_STORAGE, NEXTCLOUD_URL, AA_VERSION, and COMPUTE_DEVICE automatically. No .env file is needed.

• odf-kit — the underlying library
• Nextcloud AppAPI — ExApp documentation

AGPLv3 — required by the Nextcloud App Store. See LICENSE.