Introduction
OpenEduCat is a powerful open-source ERP built on Odoo, tailored for educational institutions to manage students, courses, and more. This guide explains how to install Odoo and OpenEduCat on Ubuntu in a step-by-step format. Whether you’re new to Odoo ERP or looking to deploy it for school management, follow along to set up your environment, configure essential services, and get your education platform running smoothly.
What is OpenEduCat?
OpenEduCat is an open-source ERP for educational institutions built on top of Odoo, designed to manage students, courses, attendance, and more. It is one of the most recognized Odoo solutions for the education sector and is available freely on the Odoo GitHub repository.
Purpose of the Guide:
This guide will walk users through installing OpenEduCat on Ubuntu, from installing dependencies to configuring Odoo and installing the OpenEduCat modules. Whether you’re exploring Odoo ERP, setting up Odoo on Ubuntu for the first time, or deploying an Odoo open source educational suite, this step-by-step tutorial will help you get started.
Prerequisites
Software Requirements:
PostgreSQL, Python3, Git, Wkhtmltopdf, Node.js, etc.
Basic Knowledge:
A little familiarity with Linux command line and Odoo installation on Ubuntu is recommended.
Step 1: Update and Upgrade Your System
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Explanation:
This command updates the package lists and upgrades all installed packages on your Ubuntu server. This is a necessary first step before starting any Odoo installation in Ubuntu.
Step 2: Install Required Dependencies
sudo apt install -y git python3 python3-pip python3-dev python3-venv \
libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev zlib1g-dev libsasl2-dev libldap2-dev \
build-essential libjpeg-dev libpq-dev libffi-dev libmysqlclient-dev \
libtiff5-dev libopenjp2-7-dev liblcms2-dev libwebp-dev libharfbuzz-dev \
libfribidi-dev libxcb1-dev xfonts-base xfonts-75dpi \
libx11-6 libxext6 libxrender1 xfonts-encodings xfonts-utils \
nodejs npm wget curl unzip
These libraries and packages are essential to run Odoo ERP and its dependent modules, including Python development headers and libraries required for XML parsing and PostgreSQL integration.
Step 3: Install and Configure PostgreSQL
sudo apt install -y postgresql
sudo systemctl enable --now postgresql
sudo -u postgres createuser -s odoo
Explanation:
PostgreSQL setup for Odoo is essential since Odoo ERP uses it as its backend database. The commands install and start PostgreSQL, then create a PostgreSQL user for Odoo.
Troubleshooting: Authentication Failure
Occurs when Odoo fails to connect to PostgreSQL due to incorrect credentials.
sudo -u postgres psql
Inside PostgreSQL:
\du
If odoo is missing:
CREATE USER odoo WITH SUPERUSER PASSWORD 'your_strong_password';
Verify database credentials in /etc/odoo.conf:
db_user = odoo
db_password = your_strong_password
Step 4: Install Wkhtmltopdf (for PDF Reports)
Odoo requires Wkhtmltopdf to generate PDFs for reports. Install the correct version:
wget https://github.com/wkhtmltopdf/packaging/releases/download/0.12.6-1/wkhtmltox_0.12.6-1.focal_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -y ./wkhtmltox_0.12.6-1.focal_amd64.deb
Why is Wkhtmltopdf Important?
wkhtmltopdf Odoo installation is critical for generating Odoo PDF reports. It ensures proper formatting of documents like invoices and receipts.
Step 5: Install Odoo from Source
Create a Directory and Clone the Repository:
cd ~/Desktop/openeducat
git clone https://github.com/odoo/odoo.git --branch 16.0 --depth 1
Create a Python Virtual Environment and Install Dependencies:
cd odoo
python3 -m venv venv
Activate the virtual environment:
source venv/bin/activate
Install Required Dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt
Odoo virtual environment setup keeps your Python packages clean and modular.
Step 6: Clone OpenEduCat Modules
cd /opt/odoo/addons
git clone https://github.com/openeducat/openeducat_erp.git --branch 16.0
This step pulls in open ERP Odoo modules specifically tailored for education. Use this directory to manage all educational and learning extensions.
Step 7: Configure Odoo
sudo nano /etc/odoo.conf
Sample Configuration:
[options]
admin_passwd = my_admin_password
db_host = False
db_port = False
db_user = odoo
db_password = your_strong_password
addons_path = /opt/odoo/addons, /opt/odoo/odoo/addons
- Create odoo.conf file to store settings.
- Odoo master password setup is required to manage databases.
- Odoo addon path configuration allows the system to detect custom and core modules.
- configure Odoo database access using the correct user credentials.
Step 8: Start Odoo Server
cd /opt/odoo
source venv/bin/activate
python3 odoo-bin --config /etc/odoo.conf
Access the platform at:
http://localhost:8069
You will see the Odoo website UI, where you can configure databases, add modules, and begin using Odoo online.
Step 9: Set Up Odoo as a Systemd Service
1. Create a New Odoo Service File:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/odoo.service
2. Add the Following Service Configuration:
[Unit]
Description=Odoo ERP
Requires=postgresql.service
After=network.target postgresql.service
[Service]
Type=simple
User=odoo
Group=odoo
ExecStart=/opt/odoo/venv/bin/python3 /opt/odoo/odoo-bin --config /etc/odoo.conf
WorkingDirectory=/opt/odoo
Restart=always
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
3. Save and Close the File
4. Reload the Systemd Daemon:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
5. Enable Odoo Service (Start on Boot):
sudo systemctl enable odoo
6. Start the Odoo Service:
sudo systemctl start odoo
7. Check Odoo Service Status:
sudo systemctl status odoo
If it’s running, you’ll see confirmation that your run Odoo as a service Ubuntu setup is successful.
8. Access Odoo:
Visit in your browser:
http://your_server_ip:8069
Conclusion
You’ve now completed a full Odoo installation in Ubuntu with OpenEduCat modules. Whether you’re building a complete educational ERP, launching a new Odoo website, or scaling with Odoo open source modules, your deployment is now ready. With integrations like PostgreSQL, Wkhtmltopdf, systemd, and GitHub-sourced modules, you’ve created a scalable and flexible learning platform. Congratulations!
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