Odoo __manifest__.py – The Module Manifest

A Complete Manifest Example

Here is a real, fully-annotated __manifest__.py covering every commonly-used key:

{
    # ── Required keys ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'name': 'Library Management',          # Human-readable display name
    'version': '19.0.1.0.0',              # Format: odoo_version.major.minor.patch

    # ── Metadata ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'summary': 'Manage your library books, members, and borrowings',
    'description': """
        Library Management System
        =========================
        Track books, members, borrowings, and returns.
        Includes portal access for members to view their history.
    """,
    'author': 'Algorid Limited',
    'website': 'https://algorid.com',
    'category': 'Services/Library',       # Apps menu category
    'license': 'LGPL-3',                  # or OPL-1 for proprietary

    # ── Dependencies ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'depends': [
        'base',          # always required (implicitly, but explicit is better)
        'mail',          # for chatter / messaging
        'portal',        # for customer portal access
    ],

    # ── Files to load ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'data': [
        'security/ir.model.access.csv',
        'security/record_rules.xml',
        'views/book_views.xml',
        'views/member_views.xml',
        'views/menus.xml',
        'data/book_sequence.xml',
        'report/book_report.xml',
    ],
    'demo': [
        'demo/demo_books.xml',
        'demo/demo_members.xml',
    ],

    # ── Web assets ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'assets': {
        'web.assets_backend': [
            'library_management/static/src/scss/library.scss',
            'library_management/static/src/js/book_widget.js',
            'library_management/static/src/xml/book_widget.xml',
        ],
        'web.assets_frontend': [
            'library_management/static/src/scss/portal.scss',
        ],
    },

    # ── App behaviour ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    'application': True,          # Shows as a top-level app in Apps menu
    'installable': True,          # Can be installed (default True)
    'auto_install': False,        # Don't auto-install when all depends installed
}

Required Keys

• name (string) — the display name shown in the Apps menu. Keep it short and clear.
• version (string) — must follow the odoo_version.major.minor.patch format. The first number must match the Odoo major version (19 for Odoo 19). Increment the patch for bug fixes, minor for new features, major for breaking changes.

Dependencies

The depends key is a list of module technical names this module requires. Odoo loads dependencies first. If a dependency isn't installed, this module can't be installed either.

Always depend on base (the foundation). If you use the chatter, depend on mail. If you extend sale orders, depend on sale.

Data and Demo Keys

• data list — loaded on every install and upgrade, in order. Security CSV must come before views (the model must exist before access rules can reference it), views before menus, menus before actions.
• demo list — loaded only when demo data is enabled at database creation.
• File paths are relative to the module root.

Assets Key (Odoo 14+)

The assets dict registers static files into asset bundles. Files added to a bundle are compiled and served together by Odoo's asset pipeline.

Metadata Keys

• summary — one-line description shown under the module name in the Apps list
• description — long description (RST format supported); shown in the module info page
• author — your name or company name
• website — your website URL
• category — path like 'Services/Library' or 'Technical' — controls Apps menu grouping
• license — 'LGPL-3' for open-source Community modules; 'OPL-1' for proprietary/Enterprise modules

App Behaviour Keys

• application: True — module appears as a top-level app tile (with an icon) in the Apps menu. Set to True only for modules that are the "main app" of a feature area.
• installable: True — module appears in the Apps list and can be installed. Set to False to hide a module (e.g. a base library module not meant to be installed directly).
• auto_install: False — if True, Odoo automatically installs this module when ALL of its dependencies are installed. Used for "glue modules" that add integration between two other modules (e.g. sale_stock, which adds stock features when both sale and stock are installed).

Version Numbering

The version format odoo_version.major.minor.patch (e.g. 19.0.1.0.0) is a community convention — not enforced by Odoo — but followed universally:

• 19 — must match the Odoo major version
• 1 — major version of your module (increment for breaking changes)
• 0 — minor version (increment for new features)
• 0 — patch (increment for bug fixes)