phenobarbital/ai-parrot/install-odoo-module

Install an Odoo Module

Use this skill when asked to install a new Odoo module (add-on). Follow these steps in order; confirm write operations with the user before executing.

Prerequisites

Before installing, verify the following:

1. Module source is present — the module's source directory must exist on

the Odoo server's add-ons path (addons_path in the Odoo config file, or the --addons-path argument).

1. Database is backed up — installing modules modifies the database schema.

Always recommend a backup before proceeding in production.

1. Odoo version compatibility — check that the module declares the correct

version in its __manifest__.py for the running Odoo version (16/18/19).

1. Dependencies — review depends in the module's __manifest__.py and

confirm all listed dependencies are already installed.

Installation Methods

Method A: Shell (preferred for server-side installs)

Use the odoo_shell_install_module tool, which calls odoo-bin -i:

Tool: odoo_shell_install_module
  modules: ["<technical_module_name>"]
  database: "<target_database>"   # defaults to ODOO_TEST_DATABASE
  upgrade: false

This executes:

odoo-bin -d <database> -i <module_name> --stop-after-init

HITL NOTE: This tool is gated by HITL confirmation — always present the

command to the user and wait for approval before executing.

Version differences:

• Odoo 16: Uses XML-RPC; odoo-bin -i is the standard install path.
• Odoo 18/19: Uses JSON-RPC / REST; odoo-bin -i still works for

server-side installs.

Method B: Odoo Apps UI (for non-technical users)

1. Log in as an administrator.
2. Go to Apps menu (or Settings → Apps).
3. Search for the module by name.
4. Click Install.

Note: The module must appear in the Apps catalogue. Custom/local modules

not published to the Odoo App Store may not appear here unless the database

catalogue has been refreshed (Settings → Technical → Update Apps List).

Method C: RPC (programmatic, Odoo 16 XML-RPC)

For Odoo 16, you can install a module via XML-RPC by writing to ir.module.module:

# Step 1: Find the module
modules = client.execute_kw('ir.module.module', 'search_read',
    [[['name', '=', '<technical_name>'], ['state', '=', 'uninstalled']]],
    {'fields': ['id', 'name', 'state']})
# Step 2: Trigger install
client.execute_kw('ir.module.module', 'button_immediate_install',
    [[modules[0]['id']]])

HITL NOTE: Any write/delete RPC call is gated by HITL confirmation.

Post-Installation Steps

1. Restart Odoo — some modules require a server restart to activate all

components (workers, cron jobs, assets). Inform the user.

1. Verify installation — use the odoo_get_odoo_profile tool to check

that the module appears in installed_modules.

1. Update Apps List — if the module is newly added to the file system and

does not appear in the UI, go to Settings → Technical → Update Apps List.

1. Check logs — review the Odoo server log for errors during startup.

Upgrade (vs Install)

To upgrade an already-installed module (apply code/manifest changes):

Tool: odoo_shell_upgrade_module
  modules: ["<technical_module_name>"]
  database: "<target_database>"

This calls odoo-bin -d <db> -u <module> --stop-after-init.

Troubleshooting

Example: Install the sale module on Odoo 18

I will install the 'sale' module on the odoo database using odoo-bin.
This is a write operation and requires your confirmation.
 
Proposed command:
  odoo_shell_install_module(modules=["sale"], database="odoo")
  → odoo-bin -d odoo -i sale --stop-after-init
 
Please confirm to proceed.