Apache Jakarta POI

POI, a sub-project of the Apache Jakarta Project, provides pure Java libraries for reading and writing files in Microsoft Office formats, such as Word and Excel.

The Apache Jakarta POI project contains the following subcomponents:

• POIFS - This component reads and writes Microsoft's OLE 2 Compound Documentation format. Since all Microsoft Office files are OLE 2 files, this component is the basic building block of all the other POI elements. POIFS can therefore be used to read a wider variety of files, beyond those whose explicit decoders are already written in POI.

• HSSF - reads and writes Microsoft Excel (XLS) format files. It can read files written by Excel 97 onwards. This file format is known as the BIFF 8 format.
• HPSF - reads "Document Summary" information from Microsoft Office files. This is essentially the information that one can see by using the File|Properties menu item within an Office application.
• HPWF - aims to read and write Microsoft Word 97 (DOC) format files. This component is in initial stages of development.

More information can be found on the .