Documentation Index
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The odoo-bin command-line interface is the primary way to run and manage an Odoo instance from the terminal. It provides commands to start the server, open an interactive Python shell, scaffold new modules, seed test data, and count lines of code.
The exact command to use depends on your installation method. For source installs, use ./odoo-bin from the Odoo Community root directory. For package installs, the odoo executable is on your PATH. For Docker, refer to the official Docker image docs. Global Options
odoo-bin --help # show all commands and options
odoo-bin --version # print Odoo version, e.g. "Odoo Server 17.0"
COMMANDS=$(odoo-bin --help | sed -e "s/^ \([^ ]\+\).*$/ \1/gp;d" | xargs)
echo "complete -W '$COMMANDS' odoo-bin" >> ~/.bash_completion
server — Run the Server
This is the default command (can be omitted). Starts the Odoo HTTP server.
Basic Options
| Option | Description |
|---|
-d <db>, --database <db> | Database(s) to use (comma-separated restricts access) |
-i <modules>, --init <modules> | Comma-separated modules to install before starting (requires -d) |
-u <modules>, --update <modules> | Comma-separated modules to update before starting; use all for everything (requires -d) |
--reinit <modules> | Comma-separated modules to reinitialize before starting (loads data in init mode; for development only — do not use in production) |
--addons-path <dirs> | Comma-separated directories scanned for modules |
-c <file>, --config <file> | Path to config file (default: $ODOO_RC or ~/.odoorc) |
-D <path>, --data-dir <path> | Directory for filestore and sessions |
-s, --save | Save current CLI options to the config file |
--stop-after-init | Stop the server after initialization (useful in CI) |
--without-demo | Skip demo data installation (default behaviour) |
--with-demo | Install demo data in new databases |
--pidfile <file> | Write server PID to this file |
HTTP Options
| Option | Description |
|---|
-p <port>, --http-port <port> | HTTP server port (default: 8069) |
--http-interface <addr> | TCP/IP address to listen on (default: 0.0.0.0) |
--gevent-port <port> | WebSocket port for gevent/multiprocessing mode (default: 8072) |
--no-http | Do not start the HTTP server (cron workers may still start) |
--proxy-mode | Enable X-Forwarded-* header support for reverse proxies |
--x-sendfile | Delegate attachment serving to the web server (nginx/Apache) |
--proxy-mode must only be used behind a reverse proxy. Enabling it on a direct internet-facing server is a security risk.
Database Connection
| Option | Description |
|---|
-r <user>, --db_user <user> | PostgreSQL username |
-w <password>, --db_password <pass> | PostgreSQL password |
--db_host <hostname> | PostgreSQL server host (UNIX socket by default on Linux) |
--db_port <port> | PostgreSQL port (default: 5432) |
--db-filter <regex> | Restrict visible databases by regex; %h = hostname, %d = subdomain |
--db_replica_host <hostname> | Optional read replica host |
# Only expose databases whose names start with "11"
$ odoo-bin --db-filter "^11.*$"
# Restrict access to exactly two databases
$ odoo-bin --database 11firstdatabase,11seconddatabase
Logging
| Option | Description |
|---|
--logfile <file> | Write logs to a file instead of stderr |
--syslog | Write logs to syslog / Windows Event Log |
--log-level <level> | critical, error, warn, debug, debug_sql, debug_rpc |
--log-handler <LOGGER:LEVEL> | Per-logger level, e.g. odoo.models:DEBUG |
--log-web | Enable DEBUG for HTTP requests/responses |
--log-sql | Enable DEBUG for SQL queries |
$ odoo-bin --log-handler :DEBUG \
--log-handler werkzeug:CRITICAL \
--log-handler odoo.fields:WARNING
Multiprocessing
Multiprocessing mode is only available on Unix-based systems.
| Option | Default | Description |
|---|
--workers <count> | 0 (threaded) | Number of HTTP worker processes (0 = threaded mode) |
--max-cron-threads <count> | 2 | Dedicated cron job workers/threads |
--limit-request <n> | 8196 | Requests per worker before recycling |
--limit-memory-soft <bytes> | 2048 MiB | Soft virtual memory limit per worker |
--limit-memory-hard <bytes> | 2560 MiB | Hard virtual memory limit (worker killed immediately) |
--limit-time-cpu <secs> | 60 | Max CPU seconds per request |
--limit-time-real <secs> | 120 | Max wall-clock seconds per request |
Testing
| Option | Description |
|---|
--test-enable | Run tests after module installation |
--test-file <file> | Run a specific Python test file |
--test-tags <spec> | Filter tests; format: [-][tag][/module][:class][.method] |
--screenshots <dir> | Directory for browser test failure screenshots |
--screencasts <dir> | Directory for screencast recordings (requires ffmpeg) |
$ odoo-bin --test-tags :TestClass.test_func,/test_module,external
$ odoo-bin --test-tags standard # run all standard tests
$ odoo-bin --test-tags -external # exclude external tests
shell — Interactive Python Shell
Opens an IPython (or configured REPL) session with env pre-initialized for ORM access:
In [1]: records = env["res.partner"].search([])
In [2]: records
Out[2]: res.partner(14, 26, 33, 21, 10)
In [3]: for partner in records:
...: partner.name = "%s !" % partner.name
In [4]: env.cr.commit() # changes are in a transaction — commit explicitly
The shell runs in transaction mode. Changes are rolled back on exit unless you explicitly call env.cr.commit().
| Option | Description |
|---|
--shell-file <script.py> | Python script to run on shell startup |
--shell-interface <repl> | Preferred REPL: ipython, ptpython, bpython, or python |
scaffold — Create a New Module
Generates a skeleton module directory with the standard file structure:
$ odoo-bin scaffold my_module /addons/
/addons/my_module/ with __init__.py, __manifest__.py, a models/ folder, and a views/ folder.
| Argument | Description |
|---|
name (required) | Module name (used to generate directory name, model names, etc.) |
destination | Target directory (default: current directory) |
-t <template> | Custom Jinja2 template directory for scaffold files |
populate — Seed a Database
Duplicates existing records with variations to create large test datasets. Follows x2Many relationships and respects UNIQUE constraints.
$ odoo-bin populate -d my_database --models res.partner,account.move --factors 1000
| Option | Description |
|---|
-d <database> | Database to populate |
--models <models> | Comma-separated list of models to populate (models listed twice are only populated once) |
--factors <factors> | Comma-separated list of factor sizes; last factor applies to remaining models |
--sep <separator> | Separator used to generate record names |
cloc — Count Lines of Code
Counts lines of custom Python, JavaScript, CSS/SCSS, and XML code in modules. Used to estimate maintenance service costs.
# Count lines in modules installed in a database
$ odoo-bin cloc -c config.conf -d my_database
# Count lines in specific addon directories
$ odoo-bin cloc -p addons/account -p addons/sale
| Option | Description |
|---|
-d <database> | Count lines in all extra modules installed in this database |
-p <path> | Count lines in a specific path |
--addons-path <dirs> | Required when using --database |
-c <config> | Use a config file in place of --addons-path |
-v, --verbose | Show per-file line counts |
__manifest__.py / __openerp__.pystatic/lib/ (external libraries)tests/ and static/tests/migrations/ and upgrades/- XML files in
demo / demo_xml sections
Exclude specific files via cloc_exclude in your manifest:
"cloc_exclude": [
"lib/common.py", # single file
"data/*.xml", # all XML in a folder
"example/**/*", # entire folder hierarchy
"**/*.scss", # all SCSS files
]
deploy — Upload a Module Remotely
Uploads and installs a module to a remote Odoo server without direct server access:
$ odoo-bin deploy <path> <url> --db <dbname> --login <login> --password <password>
The target server must have base_import_module installed. The login user must have admin rights.
| Option | Description |
|---|
path | Local path to the module directory |
url | Server URL (default: http://localhost:8069) |
--db <dbname> | Database name |
--login <username> | Admin username (default: admin) |
--password <password> | Admin password (default: admin) |
--verify-ssl | Verify the server’s SSL certificate |
--force | Re-initialize if already installed; updates noupdate="1" records |
db — Database Management
Manage databases from the CLI. Common sub-commands include creating, duplicating, dropping, and backing up databases. All options available for the server command also apply here.
upgrade_code — Rewrite Source Code
Applies automated migration scripts when upgrading between Odoo major versions:
$ odoo-bin upgrade_code --from 18.0 --to 19.0 --dry-run
| Option | Description |
|---|
--from <version> | Starting version (inclusive) |
--to <version> | Ending version (inclusive, default: current) |
--dry-run | List files that would be changed without modifying them |
--glob <pattern> | Restrict to matching files (default: **/*) |
--script <path> | Run a single migration script |