How to Install Odoo 20 on Ubuntu: Complete Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Connect to Your Server

If you are working on a remote server, connect to it over SSH from your local computer:

ssh your_username@your_server_ip

If your server uses a custom SSH port or a private key file, connect like this instead:

ssh -p 2222 your_username@your_server_ip
ssh -i /path/to/key.pem your_username@your_server_ip

Once you are logged in, check which distribution and version you are on:

lsb_release -a

Make a note of the Codename value shown, as you will use it again later.

Update the System

Always start with a fully updated system. This avoids errors caused by outdated packages.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Make Sure You Have Python 3.12 or Later

Check the Python version that is currently installed:

python3 --version

If this already shows 3.12 or higher, skip ahead. If it shows an older version, install Python 3.12 alongside your existing Python.

On Ubuntu, install it using the deadsnakes PPA:

sudo apt install -y software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:deadsnakes/ppa
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y python3.12 python3.12-venv python3.12-dev

On Debian, use pyenv to install Python 3.12 without replacing the system Python.

Create a Dedicated System User for Odoo

Running Odoo under its own dedicated system user is safer and keeps your setup organized.

sudo adduser --system --home=/opt/odoo20 --group odoo20

This creates the odoo20 system user with its home directory at /opt/odoo20.

Install PostgreSQL 16 or Newer

Odoo stores all its data in PostgreSQL. Install PostgreSQL using the official PostgreSQL repository:

sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates postgresql-common
sudo /usr/share/postgresql-common/pgdg/apt.postgresql.org.sh -y
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y postgresql postgresql-client

Confirm the installed version:

psql --version

Then create the PostgreSQL role used by Odoo:

sudo -u postgres createuser -d -R -S odoo20

Download the Odoo 20 Source Code

Switch to the Odoo system user and clone the Odoo 20 source code:

sudo su - odoo20 -s /bin/bash
cd /opt/odoo20
git clone https://github.com/odoo/odoo.git --branch 20.0 --depth 1 --single-branch .

Once the download finishes, verify that files such as odoo-bin, requirements.txt, and the addons directory are present.

Install Dependencies with Odoo's Setup Script

Odoo provides a setup script that installs the system dependencies required by the source code:

cd /opt/odoo20
sudo ./setup/debinstall.sh

Let the script finish before continuing to the next step.

Install Node.js Tools for the Web Client

Install Node.js and the Less packages required for Odoo's web assets:

sudo apt install -y nodejs npm
sudo npm install -g less less-plugin-clean-css

Confirm Node.js is available:

node --version

Set Up a Python Virtual Environment

Create an isolated Python environment for Odoo and install its Python dependencies:

sudo -u odoo20 python3.12 -m venv /opt/odoo20/venv
sudo -u odoo20 /opt/odoo20/venv/bin/pip install --upgrade pip wheel
sudo -u odoo20 /opt/odoo20/venv/bin/pip install -r /opt/odoo20/requirements.txt

Install wkhtmltopdf

Odoo uses wkhtmltopdf to generate PDF documents such as invoices and quotations. Install the required package and dependencies:

sudo apt install -y xfonts-75dpi
wget https://github.com/wkhtmltopdf/packaging/releases/download/0.12.6.1-2/wkhtmltox_0.12.6.1-2.jammy_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i wkhtmltox_0.12.6.1-2.jammy_amd64.deb
sudo apt install -f -y

Verify that wkhtmltopdf was installed successfully:

wkhtmltopdf --version

Create the Odoo Configuration File

Create the log directory and configuration file:

sudo mkdir -p /var/log/odoo20
sudo chown odoo20: /var/log/odoo20
sudo nano /etc/odoo20.conf

Add the following configuration:

[options]
admin_passwd = choose_a_strong_master_password
db_host = localhost
db_port = 5432
db_user = odoo20
db_password = False
addons_path = /opt/odoo20/addons
logfile = /var/log/odoo20/odoo20.log
xmlrpc_port = 8069

Then secure the configuration file:

sudo chown odoo20: /etc/odoo20.conf
sudo chmod 640 /etc/odoo20.conf

Create a Systemd Service

Create a systemd service so Odoo starts automatically and can restart if it stops unexpectedly:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/odoo20.service

Add the following service definition:

[Unit]
Description=Odoo 20
Requires=postgresql.service
After=network.target postgresql.service

[Service]
Type=simple
User=odoo20
Group=odoo20
ExecStart=/opt/odoo20/venv/bin/python3 /opt/odoo20/odoo-bin -c /etc/odoo20.conf
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Start Odoo and Check Its Status

Start the service, enable it on system boot, and verify that it is running:

sudo systemctl start odoo20
sudo systemctl enable odoo20
sudo systemctl status odoo20

A status of active (running) means Odoo has started successfully.

Open Odoo in Your Browser

Odoo listens on port 8069 by default. Open your browser and visit:

http://your_server_ip:8069

If Odoo is running locally, use http://localhost:8069 instead.

Install the Apps You Need

Once you are inside Odoo, open the Apps menu, search for the applications you need, and click Activate or Install. Odoo will configure the selected application inside your database.