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Linux · Office

Calligra

Calligra is an all‑in‑one office suite with word, spreadsheet, presentation, and vector graphics tools.

Open sourceFreeFlatpak
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License
GPL-2.0-or-later
Latest version
26.04.3 (July 2, 2026)
Developer
The KDE Community
Installs
975 (Flathub, 30 days)
Install Website ↗
Calligra Words main window showing random text in the main editor
Calligra Words main window showing random text in the main editor
Calligra Sheets main window
Calligra Sheets main window
Calligra Stage main window
Calligra Stage main window
Main window of Karbon
Main window of Karbon

What is Calligra?

Calligra, developed by the KDE Community, has been around since the early 2000s and has steadily grown into a mature office suite. It bundles Words, Sheets, Stage, and Karbon, each designed to replace Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and basic vector tools. The suite is fully open source and integrates well with KDE’s desktop environment.

It targets users who need a free alternative to Microsoft Office on Linux, especially those who prefer a KDE‑style look and feel. The interface is consistent across components, with a focus on usability and extensibility.

Compared to Windows tools, Calligra feels lightweight and fast, but some advanced features and template libraries are less extensive. The learning curve is moderate; users familiar with LibreOffice or OpenOffice will find many similarities, while those used to PowerPoint may need to adjust to Stage’s different slide management.

Best for: Users who want a free, KDE‑integrated office suite with decent presentation and vector graphics capabilities.

Key features of Calligra

  • Word‑processing with WYSIWYG editing
  • Spreadsheet calculations and charts
  • Presentation creation with rich media support
  • Vector drawing in Karbon
  • Plugin system for Stage and Karbon
  • Integrated file format support (ODF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX)
  • Cross‑platform packaging (Arch, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu)
  • Open source licensing (GPL‑2.0-or-later)

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • All components share a unified look
  • Good ODF compatibility
  • Extensible via plugins
  • Lightweight compared to full office suites

Cons

  • Limited template library
  • Fewer advanced features than Microsoft Office
  • Occasional compatibility issues with complex DOCX/PPTX files
  • Learning curve for Stage’s slide transitions

Windows programs Calligra replaces

PowerPoint MobileMicrosoft PowerPoint

How to install Calligra on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub org.kde.calligra
Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install calligra
Debiansudo apt install calligra
Fedorasudo dnf install calligra
Arch / Manjarosudo pacman -S calligra

Tips for Windows users

When moving from PowerPoint, remember that Stage uses a slide‑based workflow but the layout tools differ; save presentations as PPTX for compatibility. For Word, Words supports DOCX but complex formatting may need tweaking. Use the built‑in import tools for Excel and spreadsheets. Keyboard shortcuts differ: Stage uses Ctrl+N for a new slide, while PowerPoint uses Ctrl+M. Adjust your workflow to Stage’s slide‑preview pane and the “Add Object” menu for inserting charts or images.

Recent releases

  • 26.04.3 —
  • 26.04.2 —
  • 26.04.1 —
  • 26.04.0 —

Calligra: frequently asked questions

Can Calligra open Microsoft Office files?

Yes, it can open DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX files, but complex formatting may not render perfectly.

Is Calligra available for Ubuntu?

It is available in the Ubuntu repositories and can also be installed via Flatpak from Flathub.

Does Calligra support macros?

Only basic macros are supported; advanced VBA macros from Office are not fully compatible.

Can I use Calligra on Windows?

No, Calligra is a Linux‑only application; Windows users would need a Linux environment or a virtual machine.

Updated