Written by
Lorina Balan
, Digital Marketer
On February 20th, we hosted our live webinar, Real-time editing with XWiki and Collabora Online, where attendees explored the seamless integration of Collabora Online within XWiki. The session was moderated by Ștefana Nazare, Product Owner at Wiki SAS, and held by Lavinia Vițel, Software Development Engineer at XWiki SAS, and Eloy Crespo, VP of Sales and Business Development at Collabora. Lavinia and Eloy showcased the integration of Collabora Online into XWiki via the Collabora Connector App (Pro), how it can be installed in a wiki and how it improves workflows.
During the webinar, we covered key topics and demonstrated practical applications of Collabora Online within XWiki. Here’s a summary of the discussion:
- An introduction to Collabora Online and its benefits for document collaboration
- How XWiki integrates with Collabora Online via the Collabora Connector App (Pro) for real-time co-editing
- Key features such as advanced permissions, version history, and document security
- A demonstration of how users can edit spreadsheets, text documents, and presentations directly within XWiki
- Strategies for improving productivity and ensuring data sovereignty with open-source solutions
- A Q&A session addressing integration challenges and best practices
Key takeaways
#1 A seamless editing experience. With Collabora Online integrated into XWiki, teams can co-edit documents in real time, track changes, and add comments without leaving the wiki environment.
#2 Enhanced data security and sovereignty. Unlike proprietary cloud solutions, Collabora Online allows organizations to retain full control over their documents and ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
#3 Open-source flexibility. The integration of Collabora Online with XWiki offers a fully customizable solution that adapts to unique business needs, without vendor lock-in.
#4 A more efficient workflow. Users can manage documents within XWiki, eliminating the need to switch between multiple tools, thereby improving productivity and reducing friction in collaboration.
With these insights, leveraging XWiki and Collabora Online together provides a powerful and secure environment for knowledge management and document collaboration.
For those looking to explore more, we recommend checking out:
Q&A session
Q1: Can we add a document workflow for review and approval requirements meeting USFDA and other QMS requirements for document management and control?
A: XWiki does not provide this out of the box, but there are community extensions like the Application Change Request - UI and XWiki Publication Workflow Application that can help. Additionally, Collabora provides a review tab for commenting, but it does not offer a structured publication workflow. Contact us for a detailed exploration of your needs.
Q2: Do you support other file formats such as Microsoft file formats?
A: Yes, we offer complete interoperability with Microsoft file formats, including DOCX, XLSX, and PPTX.
Q3: What are the best practices to organize office documents in XWiki?
A: The best approach is to attach documents to relevant wiki pages, ensuring structured organization, based on hierarchy and taxonomy of XWiki pages.
Q4: Can we deploy CODE for free on premises, or are there any limitations?
A: Yes, CODE (Collabora Online Development Edition) can be used for free, but it is not recommended for production environments with over 15-20 users.
Q5: Is the Collabora Connector Application fully supported across all XWiki deployments?
A: Yes, it is supported, but a minimum version requirement of XWiki 14.10 applies.
Q6: What is the advantage of using Collabora Online over the OnlyOffice Connector?
A: Collabora is fully open-source and offers excellent interoperability with various document formats.
Q7: Do you think there might be an integration of Collabora as an editor for native wiki pages? (This would be nice for editorial workflows.)
A: There is no current integration for editing native wiki pages with Collabora, but the team is open to exploring this possibility.
Q8: Can Collabora Connector Application be deployed in an air-gapped environment for organizations with strict data security policies? What are the best practices for deploying XWiki and Collabora without external internet access?
A: Yes, Collabora and XWiki can be deployed in air-gapped environments, but additional setup is required for proper integration.
Q9: Can access controls be configured to restrict document editing permissions within XWiki? Does the integration support fine-grained access management (e.g., user roles, group policies)?
A: Yes, XWiki supports fine-grained access controls that also apply to Collabora documents.
Q10: Can the Collabora Connector Application be customized to fit unique business needs? Are there extension points in the API for third-party integrations?
A: Yes, Collabora provides extensive API documentation for customization.
Q11: What are the minimum requirements for deploying Collabora Online with XWiki in a production environment?
A: You can find the hardware and software requirements in the XWiki documentation.
