The Secret Behind Odoo's Success: Little-Known Beginnings

Behind Odoo's success as one of the world's leading ERP platforms, a long journey started from a small project in Belgium. With a big vision to create affordable and accessible business solutions, Odoo grew from a simple idea to a tool used by millions of companies around the world. This article will reveal the inspiring story behind Odoo's inception, its transformation, and the technology that is the foundation of its success to this day.

Current Odoo Achievements

Odoo, a name that is now dominating the world of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, has achieved extraordinary achievements. With more than 8 million active users worldwide, Odoo is the ERP solution for various types of businesses, from startups to multinational companies. Not only that, this platform has been translated into more than 120 languages, covers more than 170 countries, and offers more than 35 core modules that support almost all aspects of business operations. Odoo also has more than 50,000 additional apps developed by a global community, making it one of the richest and most flexible software ecosystems in the world.

Odoo's success lies not only in its number of users but also in its innovative approach that combines ease of use with deep functionality. Unlike many other ERPs that are often considered complicated, Odoo is known for its intuitive interface and pleasant user experience. This company has even been named one of the fastest-growing ERP solutions by various leading technology institutions. 

However, behind this success, there is a long story of hard work, innovation, and extraordinary technological evolution. How did Odoo start its journey? Let's dig deeper.

The Beginning of Odoo: Vision from a Garage


The Odoo story began in 2005 in a small town in Belgium called Grand-Rosière. Fabien Pinckaers, a young entrepreneur with a great passion for technology, had a vision to create business software that was accessible to anyone. At the age of 24, he founded a company called Tiny ERP which focuses on developing ERP solutions for small and medium businesses.

At that time, the ERP world was dominated by big players like SAP and Oracle, who offered complex solutions at high prices. Fabien saw an opportunity to present a simpler, more affordable, and open alternative. With a small team and limited resources, Tiny ERP was born with an open-source philosophy, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute the software for free.

The first version of Tiny ERP was released that same year. Despite its simplicity, this software has managed to attract the attention of users who find this solution much easier to use than its competitors. The open-source philosophy also allowed Tiny ERP to grow quickly, as the global community began contributing to improving and expanding its functionality.

The Evolution of Tiny ERP Becomes OpenERP  

 
In 2009, Tiny ERP changed its name to OpenERP to better reflect its mission as open-source ERP software. This change also marked the beginning of a major expansion. With the new name, OpenERP began offering additional modules covering various aspects of business, including accounting, inventory management, sales, and human resources.

OpenERP 6.0, released in 2010, was an important milestone. With user interface improvements and better module integration, this version takes OpenERP to a new level of popularity. Large companies are starting to adopt the platform, while the developer community continues to grow, producing hundreds of additional modules that enrich the OpenERP ecosystem.

From OpenERP to Odoo:
A Major Transformation

In 2014, Fabien Pinckaers made a big decision by changing the name to OpenERP Odoo. The reason for this name change is to reflect that the software has evolved far beyond ERP. Odoo now offers modules for building websites, e-commerce, digital marketing, and more. The name "Odoo" itself is an abbreviation of "On Demand Open Object."

This transformation was followed by the launch of Odoo 8.0, which brought major innovations such as a drag-and-drop website builder, point of sale (POS) application, and e-commerce module. With these features, Odoo is starting to attract the attention of companies outside the traditional ERP segment, such as retail, restaurants, and online businesses.


The Technological Development Behind Odoo

Odoo has not only evolved in terms of features but also in the technology it uses. Here is the evolution of the programming language and technology behind each major release of Odoo:

2005
Tiny ERP
  • Programming language: Python
  • Tiny ERP is built with Python as its main foundation, making it lightweight and easy to develop.

2009
OpenERP 5.0
  • Programming language: Python
  • Database: PostgreSQL
  • Start adopting PostgreSQL for more reliable data management.

2010
OpenERP 6.0
  • Framework Web: Pylons (later replaced by internal frameworks)
  • The user interface is starting to be updated using more modern HTML and CSS technology.

2014
Tiny ERP
  • Programming language: Python
  • Framework Web: QWeb (internal)
  • Added new modules such as e-commerce and website builder, with a QWeb-based user interface.​

2015
Odoo 9.0
  • Introducing a dual business model (Community Edition and Enterprise Edition).
  • Added API technology to make integration with other applications easier.

2018
Odoo 12.0
  • Programming language: Python 3
  • Odoo is starting to fully adopt Python 3, leaving Python 2 behind.
  • Wider use of JavaScript for front-end features.

2021
Odoo 15.0
  • Framework Front-End: Owl (Odoo Web Library)
  • Owl replaces QWeb to provide better performance and a more interactive user experience.

2022
Odoo 16.0
  • Performance Improvements: Focuses on optimizing database and server performance to handle larger workloads, especially for fast-growing businesses.
  • Artificial intelligence: Early integration of AI features such as chatbots, product recommendations, and smarter data analysis.
  • Better User Experience: Redesigned user interface to provide a more intuitive and modern experience.
2023
Odoo 17.0
  • Expansion to the Cloud: Improved cloud service offerings with more flexible and scalable customization options.
  • Other Platform Integrations: Expand integration capabilities with popular e-commerce platforms such as Shopify and Magento.
  • Mobile Development: Improved mobile applications to provide better access to business data from anywhere.
2024
Odoo 18.0
  • Metaverse and NFTs: Potential integration with metaverse and NFT technology for innovative business applications, such as digital product sales and immersive customer experiences.
  • Low-Code/No-Code: Expands application development capabilities with a more advanced low-code/no-code platform, enabling non-technical users to create custom business applications.
  • Stronger Security: Improved security features to protect business data from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
  • Deeper Data Analysis: Development of more powerful data analysis tools to provide better business insights and support smarter decision-making.


Conclusion

Odoo's story is a testament to how innovation, hard work, and open-source philosophy can create big changes. From a small project in Belgium, Odoo has grown into one of the world's leading ERP solutions, used by millions of businesses across various industries.

The secret to Odoo's success lies not only in its technology but also in its vision to empower businesses with affordable and easy-to-use solutions. By continuing to innovate and listening to user needs, Odoo seems poised to remain a leader in the ERP world for years to come.

Are you interested in trying Odoo and seeing how this solution can support your business? Contact us today for a free demo and exclusive consultation!