Python and OpenERP - why

Anybody with say 2 years of experience in any object oriented language like Java
, PHP5 or C++ is able to catch up with the minimum required level of Python prog
ramming for OpenERP in one to two weeks. Beginners can even start on Python alth
ough they will need more time.
Also bare in mind that despite not being that popular Python is one of the simpl
est object oriented programming language around. It's probably because Python st
ates "there should be only one way to do things". Python is also a good trade-of
f between a first class OOP abstraction and a good speed: almost an order of mag
nitude faster than PHP (while still being an order of magnitude slower than Java
or C++; there is no free lunch). Of course, those are only algorithmic consider
ations. Better productivity leading to more time for architectural or database o
ptimizations always make more difference. And Python is still rising in populari
ty, reaching rank #6 in the famous Tiobe index.
Also, believe my deep comparison or check by yourself, OpenERP requires somewhat
10 times less code than Java ERP's around to do the same functional stuff (let'
s call those two "Java based" even if they are actually more like PSQL/procedura
l coding oriented, at least for their business code layer, which unfortunately i
s the one that matters) Needless to say OpenERP actually does much more instead.
Just investigate data migration, cost of customization, versatility, fixtures l
oading, project management, CRM, complex stock management...
Finally, this would be quite off-topic, but I think the key why Python or any go
od Dynamic OOP language (like (J)Ruby) is the good choice to build an ERP is bec
ause an ERP really needs both functional flexibility and a good relational datab
ase persistence system. But achieving both modularity, runtime data model flexib
ility and a static language like Java is really a hard thing that real Java ERP'
s generally failed to achieve so far.
Indeed, in a static language, the OOP model, mapped to the database structure is
supposed to be mostly fixed at compilation time. Gaining runtime flexibility li
ke with the application dictionary of Compiere or Openbravo means too often losi
ng some OOP power like inheritability or encapsulation. Oh yes that would still
be possible, but that would mean over-engineering an ERP platform just like OSGI
or the Eclipse RCP. Ultimately, you'll find guys able to do that. But will they
do it as open source and will they master also the functional part of an ERP? Q
uite unlikely. So choosing a static language as the main language for an ERP res
ults either in non functional/non mature boiler plate code, either functional co
de that is really to badly designed to fit any different context without a ton o
f non maintainable coding. So a dynamic OOP language is the good choice, at leas
t for the business layer of an ERP.
Also, for those fearing runtime errors in OpenERP because it uses a dynamic lang
uage, I would say that in OpenERP:
there is roughly 5 times less code than is an equivalent Java language based cod
e, or even 10 times less code than a procedural ERP like SAP, Openbravo or Compi
ere. So that's much less code to watch for the same features. Also bare in mind
that PLSQL, HSQL, JSP, XML IOC like Spring and all those usual techs won't provi
de you more static security either: they are dynamic stuff too even if they are
bad at OOP.
OpenERP comes with some unit and functional testing.
The compiler might do less work, there is a huge community testing the software,
that's valid too.
So Finally, a dynamic language such as Python is a very good choice for an ERP.
The runtime errors that might occur will always be discovered and fixed at imple
mentation time, so they will not be a trouble at runtime.

Why the hell didn't they used Rails instead?

Well, first you might know that Python and Ruby are really close, almost as clos
e as C# and Java. No question Rails is an outstanding framework. But building a
full blown ERP is not an easy task, building a business mature ERP won't take le
ss than 3 years. This is not only about getting the technical platform right (wh
ile that's a minimal condition and I predict resounding failures of leading bran
ds because they didn't really passed that first stage), this is also about getti
ng all the functional right, and since the functional stuff is too large for a u
nique open source team, this is even about getting a true (unlike some hyped oss
products around) community catalysis right. OpenERP achieved all that, no too s
habby.
Second, if you take a look to the underlining OpenObject framework, you'll see l
ots of things that are similar to Rails, here are a few ones:
the ORM is dynamic ActiveRecord pattern, with similar extra features like single
and multiple table inheritance and associations.
ORM with two cache levels since OpenERP 5. Almost as good as Java Hibernate, but
much easier and versatile...
the code is very DRY all the way. Not a single duplicated line.
MVC architecture.
Stateless design. Rails wins here because it's also fully HTTP REST compliant wh
ile OpenERP doesn't benefit yet the idempotence of most of HTTP methods and use
HTTP POST instead to tunnel its XML/RPC, while also supporting the fast NetRPC p
rotocol (similar to Java RMI) or HTTP via eTiny, more specifically a thin Turbog
ears/CherryPy layer), but that's not as RESTful as Rails yet.
fixtures with several formats (CSV, XML, no Yaml yet) with fixture relative ids
like in Rails 2.x which make loading demo or config data a piece of cake unlike
with other ERP's.
no HQL or yet an other scripting SQL language wrapper like Hibernate, but, just
like the Rails ActiveRecord philosophy a simple CRUD ORM API + an easy way to fi
re custom pure SQL request whenever it's required.
built'in unit test infrastructure. Not as good as Rspec, but hundred times bette
r than what other ERP's offer.
Unlike Rails, OpenERP views are a pure XML simple widget components oriented dia
lect with no interpreted code inside. That's because an ERP doesn't claim to be
as flexible as a shiny web2.0 HTML page but rather focus on productivity inside
the ERP interface paradigm. Still, the eTiny extra layer can offer that flexibil
ity if you really want too.
So finally, yes, I'm convinced Rails would have been better. But let's face it:
Rails was not available yet when OpenERP has been built.
Rails would boost ERP productivity by say 10% only. But running 10% faster while
starting 5 years late would make absolutely no difference at the end; this is r
eally not like running 5 times faster than the Java language and starting almost
at the same time. So I believe 10% this is not enough to make the difference co
nsidering all the other involved factors like functional perimeter, quality of t
he governance, community momentum...
Finally Python and OpenObject are by far good enough for OpenERP to be the best
ERP around, and I would bet quite heavily that no product will ever pass it in t
he coming next 5 years at least, this is very much written already.
Python howto
So now that you are all the more convinced OpenERP made very reasonable choices,
you'll eventually need to learn Python a bit. Don't panic that's very easy. You
'll need to read an practice the following tutorials during say a week if starti
ng from scratch: http://www.diveintopython.org/toc/index.html Not all Python kno
wledge is required to understand 90% of OpenERP code. Just focus on chapter 1 to
5 included. Chapter 6 might occasionally be useful if you need to deal with fil
es.

OpenERP howto
First, look at the demos: http://openerp.com/demonstration.html (also the flash
based demos) http://www.openobject.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id
=30&Itemid=72
Now dive into the OpenObject framework, again practicing during roughly a week:
Old but still 99% valid and simple tutorial: http://openerp.com/wiki/index.php/D
evelopers:MinutesCustom/HomePage full doc: http://doc.openerp.com/developer/inde
x.html#book-develop-link
IDE howto
Install Eclipse and the PyDev plugin, you'll thus avoid indentation errors, have
a great editor with advances code navigation and debugging. Having OpenERP runn
ing inside PyDev is almost automatic on Linux but is way harder in Windows due t
o the use of native library you'll need to have properly installed. Depending on
you, you might even win time running a Linux VM inside Windows in such a case,
but again, that's up to you.
Here is an example debugging OpenERP with Eclipse and PyDev:
Good luck.
Comment by cristian...@gmail.com, Jan 8, 2009
Nice article
Comment by ernad.husremovic, May 10, 2009
great retrospection
Comment by jpba...@gmail.com, May 11, 2009
Hi, I'm interesting to develop under Windows, so
several dependencies and Eclipse+PyDev?. I have
e that includes these directories: - bin - doc lected the directory bin as source in the python
ese errors: Traceback (most recent call last):

I have installed Python 2.5 and

download the openerp server cod
man - pixmaps - win32 I have se
project. When I run it I get th

File "D:\Proyectos\pruebaPy\bin\openerp-server.py", line

import netsvc
File "D:\Proyectos\pruebaPy\bin\netsvc.py", line 181, in
import tools
File "D:\Proyectos\pruebaPy\bin\tools\init.py", line 25,
from misc import
UnicodeDecodeError?: 'utf8' codec can't decode byte 0xd1
ted end of data
I don't know what is wrong

57, in <module>
<module>
in <module>
in position 12: unexpec

Comment by dongavi...@gmail.com, Aug 28, 2009

Hi,
i got same comment as jpbarba. but my server and desktop and web client is runni
ng successfully. bu i want to debug the "openerp-server.py file" in windows (Ope
rating system). bu i got the error.
So please give some solution how to debug the openerp-server.py file.
if you want any other detail please ask me on this email id : vipul@cybercomcrea
tion.com.
i am waiting for replay.

Comment by oscar.f....@gmail.com, Jan 15, 2010

I uploaded a video on Installing & configuration OpenERP from scratch;
as well as setting up Eclipse IDE with PyDev? for OpenERP modules Development.
I Hope you like it !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z71NLLt6lA
Regards
Comment by junaid.s...@gmail.com, Mar 11, 2010
hi. can any one give me some information about the "OSV" and "ORM"
Comment by FelipeAl...@gmail.com, Jun 21, 2010
Hi. I've looked everywhere ... so i'm posting here.
How the hck can one develop a module without restarting the server each time you
want to reload you module code, more especific module.py, it's very irritating
and all the "rapid" development goes very soooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww
thaks.
Comment by sayedfar...@gmail.com, May 20, 2014
Our team have own OpenERP magento connector that can be installed and implemente
d quickly without too much of dependencies
we also cater amazon ebay integration specifically for ecommerce merchants
Thanks Globalteckz Team www.globalteckz.com