Can libreoffice be used as an application platform like Eclipse RCP?

Question

Given enough time, everything is possible.

But is it viable to build a new product (e.g. a CAD application) on top of libreoffice code and get functionality for free like with Eclipse RCP, e.g.:

• plugin / addon management
• preferences system
• cross-platform compatibility (Win, Linux, MacOS)
• Undo/Redo
• Help System
• rich Widgets (e.g. object properties)
• ...?

If it is possible, is there documentation on how to get started?

Related question: Are there other RCPs besides Eclipse RCP that are worth evaluating?

Answer 1

It could be beneficial to use their code to build something else, as for example you may want to use their cross-platform UI toolkit.

As for "viable," that's something you'd need to decide for yourself. Or you could look for someone who has done this before and ask them if it went smoothly. A quick Google search shows that https://nisus.com/opensource/libre/ includes LibreOffice code to convert files. However, that is still a Word Processor, and you're suggesting an entirely different application such as CAD, so I'm not sure if anyone has done that.

Make sure your app is compliant with their license. According to https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/frequently-asked-questions/:

You can use, share and modify the software according to the Mozilla Public License 2.0.

There is documentation on how to build the code, but beyond that, I'm not sure what documentation you're hoping for.