How to Install Odoo 19 on macOS: A Complete Guide

Odoo 19 is a powerful open-source ERP platform used for CRM, Accounting, Inventory, eCommerce, HR, and more. In this guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to install Odoo 19 on macOS using the source installation method, which is best for development and customization.

Step-by-Step Installation Guide:

1. System Requirements
2. Install Homebrew
3. Install Python 3 & Required Tools
4. Install PostgreSQL
5. Create PostgreSQL User for Odoo
6. Install wkhtmltopdf
7. Download Odoo 19 Source Code
8. Create Python Virtual Environment
9. Install Python Dependencies
10. Configure Odoo
11. Run Odoo Server
12. Access Odoo in Browser
13. Common Errors & Fixes
14. Optional: Run Odoo as a Service
15. Conclusion

1. System Requirements

Before installing Odoo 19, ensure your Mac meets these requirements:

• macOS Sonoma / Ventura / Monterey
• Python 3.10 or 3.11
• PostgreSQL 14+
• Xcode Command Line Tools
• At least 8 GB RAM (recommended)
• Administrator access

2. Install Homebrew (Package Manager)

Homebrew is required to install dependencies easily.

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Verify installation:

brew --version

3. Install Python 3 and Required Tools

Install Python, Git, and essential build tools:

brew install python git node

Check Python version:

python3 --version

Odoo 19 works best with Python 3.10+

4. Install PostgreSQL

Odoo requires PostgreSQL as its database.

brew install postgresql@15
brew services start postgresql@15

Verify:

psql --version

5. Create PostgreSQL User for Odoo

Create a PostgreSQL superuser named odoo:

createuser -s odoo

Or via psql:

psql postgres
CREATE ROLE odoo WITH LOGIN SUPERUSER PASSWORD 'odoo';
\q

6. Install wkhtmltopdf (PDF Reports)

Odoo uses wkhtmltopdf to generate PDF reports.

brew install wkhtmltopdf

Verify:

wkhtmltopdf --version

7. Download Odoo 19 Source Code

Create a workspace directory:

mkdir ~/odoo19
cd ~/odoo19

Clone Odoo 19 source code:

git clone https://www.github.com/odoo/odoo --depth 1 --branch 19.0

8. Create Python Virtual Environment

Virtual environments keep dependencies isolated.

cd odoo
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate

Upgrade pip:

pip install --upgrade pip wheel setuptools

9. Install Python Dependencies

Install required Python packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Note: This may take a few minutes.

If you face errors, install system dependencies:

brew install libxml2 libxslt jpeg openjpeg libpq

10. Configure Odoo

Create a configuration file:

cp odoo.conf.example odoo.conf

Edit config:

nano odoo.conf

Example configuration:

[options]
admin_passwd = admin
db_host = False
db_port = False
db_user = odoo
db_password = False
addons_path = addons
xmlrpc_port = 8069

Save and exit (CTRL + X, Y, Enter).

11. Run Odoo Server

Run Odoo using the config file:

./odoo-bin -c odoo.conf

Or specify addons path:

./odoo-bin --addons-path=addons

If successful, you’ll see:

Odoo HTTP service running on http://localhost:8069

12. Access Odoo in Browser

Open your browser and visit:

http://localhost:8069

Steps:

• Create a new database
• Set admin email & password
• Choose language & country
• Install apps (CRM, Sales, Inventory, etc.)

Odoo 19 is now running on macOS!

13. Common Errors & Fixes

PostgreSQL Connection Error

role "odoo" does not exist

✔ Fix:

createuser -s odoo

wkhtmltopdf Not Found

✔ Fix:

brew install wkhtmltopdf

Python Library Error

✔ Fix:

pip install psycopg2-binary

14. Optional: Run Odoo as a Background Service

Create a shell script:

nano start-odoo.sh

#!/bin/bash
source ~/odoo19/odoo/venv/bin/activate
~/odoo19/odoo/odoo-bin -c ~/odoo19/odoo/odoo.conf

Make executable:

chmod +x start-odoo.sh

15. Conclusion

You have successfully installed Odoo 19 on macOS using the source code method.

This setup is ideal for:

• Developers
• Custom module development
• Learning Odoo internals
• ERP customization