Apache OpenOffice 4.1 software is a complete, feature-rich office productivity suite that provides, in combination with this SDK, all the essential tools for building and deploying custom solutions that build on, or integrate with, the Apache OpenOffice 4.1 suite of products.

The SDK is a development kit for Apache OpenOffice 4.1, which eases the development of office components. It provides a set of libraries, binaries, header, and IDL files which have final API's and can only be extended with new functionality. This set of libraries and binaries is the minimum set of functions needed to use system abstraction for base functionality and for using UNO (Universal Network Objects) component technology. The UNO component model is the base of the whole Office API. The SDK provides everything necessary to use the Office API from external programs (e.g. Java, C++) or to extend the Office functionality with new components (e.g. new filter components, CalcAddin functions). It is compatible over several versions because the API remains unaffected and will only be extended with new functions.

The SDK provides the basic building blocks for external developers to develop components in any language for which a binding exists. Currently, there are language bindings for Apache OpenOffice 4.1 Basic, Java, and different C++ compilers on different platforms, for Apache OpenOffice 4.1, thus covering the two most commonly used programming languages. There will be no limit for office automation in heterogeneous environments. Currently supported platforms of the SDK are Linux, Solaris (sparc, x86), and Windows.

The SDK also contains reference documentation for the API and a complete Developer's Guide is availbale online in the Apache OpenOffice Wiki, with lots of examples, which introduce the API, explain the concepts behind it, and make it possible for all users to quickly get started with the Office API.