HISTORY of Open Source ERPs: Rise of Odoo to the Top

The History of Open Source ERP Systems: Compiere, Adempiere, Openbravo, Apache OFBiz, and the Journey of Odoo to becoming the Best.

Over the past two decades, the enterprise resource planning (ERP) industry has experienced a significant shift towards open source solutions. The term “open source” refers to software that is freely available for use, modification, and distribution. In this article, we will explore the history of open source ERP systems, including Compiere, Adempiere, Openbravo, Apache OFBiz, and the journey of Odoo to becoming the best open source ERP on the market today.

1. Compiere

Compiere was one of the first open source ERP systems and was launched in 1999. It was designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The system was built using Java and had a user-friendly interface. Compiere was well received by the SMB community and became one of the most popular open source ERP systems in the early 2000s.

2. Adempiere

Adempiere, which was launched in 2006, was built as a fork of Compiere. It was created to address some of the limitations of Compiere, including its lack of flexibility and scalability. Adempiere was built using the Adempiere Business Suite (ABS), which allowed for greater customization and scalability compared to Compiere.

3. Openbravo

Openbravo, which was launched in 2006, was designed to provide an open source ERP solution for retail businesses. The system was built using the Java programming language and had a user-friendly interface. Openbravo quickly became popular in the retail industry due to its affordability and customization options.

4. Apache OFBiz

Apache OFBiz, which was launched in 2006, was designed to provide a comprehensive open source ERP solution for businesses of all sizes. The system was built using the Java programming language and had a modular architecture that allowed for easy customization and integration with other systems.

5. Odoo

Finally, Odoo, which was launched in 2005, was designed to provide an all-in-one open source ERP solution for businesses of all sizes. Unlike the other systems mentioned above, Odoo was built using Python and had a user-friendly interface. The system quickly gained popularity due to its ease of use, affordability, and the wide range of features it offered.

Over the past two decades, Odoo has continued to evolve and has become one of the most popular open source ERP systems on the market. Today, Odoo is used by businesses of all sizes, including SMBs and large enterprises, and offers a wide range of features, including accounting, inventory management, sales and purchase management, project management, and much more.

In conclusion, the history of open source ERP systems is a testament to the continued growth and evolution of the industry. From the early days of Compiere and Adempiere, to the more recent systems such as Openbravo and Apache OFBiz, and finally the rise of Odoo to becoming the best open source ERP, the industry has come a long way. Today, open source ERP systems offer businesses of all sizes a powerful, affordable, and customizable solution for managing their resources.