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3. What’s available online

Before getting started, we can ask the AI what free tools are available on the market for converting a Word or ODT document into a static HTML site.

Let’s ask Gemini:

 

Here is its response:

Yes, there are several free solutions, but the choice depends on your definition of a "static site" (a simple HTML page vs. a full website with navigation) and your technical skills.
Here are the best options, categorized by method:
  • 1. The "All-in-One" Solution (To Create a Fully Navigable Website)
If you want to turn a long Word document (with chapters and subchapters) into a full website with a navigation menu on the left, this is the best option.
  • Software: HelpNDoc (Free version for personal use)
  • How it works: This is documentation creation software. You import your Word file, it analyzes the structure (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.), and automatically generates a static, responsive HTML5 website (optimized for mobile devices).
  • Pros: Creates a real website with a menu, search bar, and index without writing a single line of code.
  • Cons: The free version adds a small "Generated by HelpNDoc" banner at the bottom of the page.
  • 2. The "Online Cleaner" Solution (For converting page by page)
If you have a short document and just want to get the HTML code to put it on an existing page, online converters are ideal for cleaning up the "messy" code generated by Word.
  • Tool: WordToHTML.net (or Word2CleanHTML)
  • How it works:
    • Copy your text from Word.
    • Paste it into the visual editor on the left side of the site.
    • The site generates clean HTML code (stripped of unnecessary Microsoft tags) in the right-hand window.
  • Pros: Very simple, visual, removes the "fat" from Microsoft code.
  • The downside: Ideal for a single page, not for generating the architecture of an entire site.
  • 3. The "Pro/Developer" Solution (Best Quality)
This is the method recommended by experts for obtaining ultra-clean, long-lasting code.
  • Software: Pandoc (Command line)
  • How it works: It’s a small program without a graphical interface (to be used via the terminal/command prompt). It converts formats very accurately.
  • Sample command: pandoc my_document.docx -t html -o my_site.html
  • Pros: Perfect HTML5 code, free, open-source, handles images and mathematical formulas (LaTeX) very well.
  • Cons: Requires familiarity with a command prompt (black screen).
  • 4. The "DIY" Solution (Microsoft Word)
You can do this directly from Word, but be careful with the result.
  • Method: File > Save As > Select "Filtered Web Page (*.htm; *.html)".
  • Important: Do not select "Single-file Web Page (.mht)"; be sure to choose "Filtered." The "Filtered" option reduces (slightly) the unnecessary code that Word usually adds.
  • The downside: The code is often still bulky and difficult to modify later.
  • Quick Comparison Table
Solution
Result Type
Code Quality
Ease
Ideal for...
HelpNDoc
Full website (with menu)
Good
Average
Manuals, theses, documentation
WordToHTML
Single page
Excellent
Very Easy
Blog posts, simple pages
Pandoc
Single page (raw)
Perfect
Difficult
Developers, clean archiving
Word (Native)
Single page
Poor
Easy
Quick troubleshooting
  • My advice
If your goal is to publish this document online professionally, I suggest HelpNDoc if you’re a beginner and want an immediate site structure.
If you simply want clean content to paste elsewhere (WordPress, etc.), use WordToHTML.net.
Would you like me to walk you through the step-by-step process for one of these tools (e.g., WordToHTML)?

I’ve used [Pandoc] a few times, but I found it difficult to use. I remember that you had to “prepare” the Word document so that Pandoc could handle it properly. However, the result was excellent. HelpNDoc seems like an attractive option since it generates a site with a menu. I tested it on one of my Word documents, and the result wasn’t satisfactory.

Now let’s see if there is any conversion software for ODT documents:

 

Gemini’s response is as follows:

Yes, absolutely. As with Word, the ODT format (used by LibreOffice and OpenOffice) has its own solutions.
Here are the best free options specific to ODT files, sorted by method:
  • 1. The "Extension" Solution (Best Built-in Quality)
If you use LibreOffice or OpenOffice, the basic HTML export is (as with Word) rather poor. However, there is a fantastic free extension designed specifically for this purpose.
  • Tool: Writer2xhtml (Extension for LibreOffice)
  • How it works:
    • You download and install the extension in LibreOffice.
    • Go to File > Export, and a new option "XHTML 1.1 + MathML" (or similar) will appear.
  • Pros: The code is much cleaner than the standard export, and it handles mathematical formulas and complex formatting very well.
  • The downside: You need to install an extension (a one-time technical step).
  • 2. The "Pro / Command Line" solution (Universal)
This is the same tool as for Word, as it also works well with the ODT format.
  • Software: Pandoc
  • How it works: Via the command line.
  • Command: pandoc my_file.odt -t html -o my_site.html
  • Pros: It is undoubtedly the most powerful converter on the market for ODT to HTML. It "understands" the structure of the ODT document better than any other.
  • 3. The "Full Website with Navigation" Solution (Via HelpNDoc)
HelpNDoc (mentioned earlier) is still the best free option for creating a real website with a left-hand menu.
However, HelpNDoc doesn’t always natively import the .odt format as well as the .docx format.
  • The trick:
    • Open your file in LibreOffice.
    • Select "Save As..." and choose "Word 2007-365 (.docx)".
    • Import this .docx file into HelpNDoc to generate your website.
  • Why? This ensures that your chapter hierarchy (Heading 1, Heading 2) is correctly recognized to create the site menu.
  • 4. The online solution (Quick cleanup)
Some online tools directly accept ODT files and output clean HTML.
  • Tool: WordToHTML.net (Also accepts ODT)
  • How it works: You can upload your ODT file directly or paste your text.
  • Pros: Very convenient for converting a single article without installing anything.
  • Summary of my advice for ODT:
  1. For a real website (documentation/thesis): Convert your ODT to DOCX using LibreOffice, then use HelpNDoc (this is the most reliable method for getting a navigation menu).
  2. For a simple, clean page: Use the Writer2xhtml extension if you do this often, or Pandoc if you want to automate the task.
Would you like me to explain how to install the Writer2xhtml extension in LibreOffice?

I tested the LibreOffice [Writer2xhtml] extension on one of my documents. The result is readable but not professional enough. There’s no table of contents on the left. The code blocks lose their syntax highlighting.

Ultimately, I think the converter generated by Gemini is an alternative to what’s suggested above. The result is comparable to that produced by Pandoc if the ODT document is suitable for the converter.

https://tahe.developpez.com
This tutorial written by Serge Tahé is made available to the public under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution – Non-Commercial – ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.