Placeholder description.
Grab the automated bash script from GitHub to follow along with the video.
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mhmdali94/Docker/main/erp/idempiere/idempiere-ubuntu.sh
chmod +x idempiere-ubuntu.sh
sudo bash idempiere-ubuntu.shwget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mhmdali94/Docker/main/erp/idempiere/idempiere-ubuntu.shchmod +x idempiere-ubuntu.shThe script installs Docker if needed and deploys iDempiere with PostgreSQL. First startup takes 3–5 minutes as the OSGi container initializes. Minimum 4 GB RAM is required.
sudo bash idempiere-ubuntu.shOpen your browser and navigate to:
http://<your-server-ip>:8080/webuiLog in with the default credentials (System / System for the System client, or GardenWorld / GardenWorld for the demo client). Go to System Admin → Client Setup to create your own client (company), set your chart of accounts, currency, and fiscal year. Change all default passwords immediately.
| Port | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 8080 | iDempiere Web UI |
| 8443 | iDempiere Web UI (HTTPS) |
| 5432 | PostgreSQL — internal only, not exposed |
iDempiere is a mature, enterprise-grade open-source ERP built on the OSGi (Open Service Gateway initiative) framework using Java and Eclipse Equinox. It is a fork of the Compiere ERP lineage — one of the oldest open-source ERP projects — and shares DNA with ADempiere. Its OSGi architecture means the system is extensible through plugins (called OSGi bundles) that can be installed, updated, or removed at runtime without restarting the application server. iDempiere supports true multi-tenancy (multiple companies on one instance with complete data isolation), has one of the most rigorous double-entry accounting engines in open-source ERP, and runs a full business suite: purchasing, sales, inventory, manufacturing (via plugins), project management, and a service module. It is used by mid-to-large enterprises that need a proven, auditable system.
iDempiere occupies a specific niche: organizations that need enterprise-grade accounting rigidity, multi-tenant isolation, and a plugin-extensible architecture, but cannot afford SAP or Oracle. Its accounting engine strictly enforces double-entry rules at the transaction level — every purchase order, sales order, inventory movement, and payment automatically generates the correct accounting entries without manual journal entries. The OSGi plugin marketplace has hundreds of community plugins for payroll, manufacturing, HR, e-commerce, and regional compliance. For businesses that have outgrown Odoo or ERPNext but cannot justify SAP licensing, iDempiere is the open-source answer.
iDempiere web UI runs on port 8080 (HTTP) and 8443 (HTTPS). In production put it behind Nginx Proxy Manager so only port 443 is publicly accessible. PostgreSQL runs on 5432 internally — must never be exposed. The OSGi console runs on port 12612 — restrict or disable it in production with a firewall rule. Configure ufw allow 443, ufw allow 80 (for redirect), and deny all other inbound.
Odoo Community is easier to set up and has a more modern UI, but lacks iDempiere's accounting rigidity and multi-tenant isolation. ERPNext is fully free with no paid tiers and is simpler to deploy, but its accounting engine is less strict. Dolibarr is much simpler and lighter but is not suitable for complex accounting requirements. For SAP migration projects, iDempiere is sometimes used as an intermediate step. The honest assessment: iDempiere requires significant ERP expertise to implement correctly — if you do not have an experienced ERP consultant on the team, start with Odoo or ERPNext.
iDempiere has a very steep learning curve — expect weeks or months to configure correctly, not days. If your team does not have ERP implementation experience, do not start with iDempiere. For startups and SMEs that need to be operational quickly, Odoo or ERPNext are far more appropriate. iDempiere's UI is functional but dated compared to modern web applications — if user adoption requires a polished UX, the older interface will be a barrier. Also, iDempiere's Java/OSGi stack requires at least 4 GB RAM minimum — do not attempt to run it on a $5/month VPS.
PrismaTechWork provides end-to-end infrastructure services — from initial deployment and security hardening to ongoing monitoring, automated backups, and dedicated support. Whether you need a single-server setup or a multi-site network, our team ensures your infrastructure is built right, secured properly, and maintained reliably.
Compiere was the original open-source ERP project that pioneered model-driven ERP in the early 2000s. When the community disagreed with Compiere's commercial direction, ADempiere forked in 2006 and continued as a community project. iDempiere emerged in 2011 as a further evolution — it ported the ADempiere business logic to OSGi (Eclipse Equinox), enabling plugin-based extensibility and runtime module management. Today iDempiere is the most actively maintained of the three, with the most modern architecture.
OSGi (Open Services Gateway initiative) is a Java module system that allows applications to be composed of independent bundles (plugins) that can be installed, started, stopped, updated, and uninstalled at runtime without restarting the JVM. For iDempiere, this means you can install a new module (e.g. a payroll plugin) while the ERP is running, or update a plugin with a bug fix without downtime. The OSGi marketplace for iDempiere has hundreds of community plugins for vertical-specific functionality.
Yes — iDempiere's multi-client architecture is one of its strongest features. Each company runs as an independent 'client' on the same iDempiere instance with completely isolated data: separate chart of accounts, separate business partners, separate transactions. A system administrator can manage all clients from the System client, while each company's users only see their own data. Inter-company transactions (loans, shared services) are supported through inter-company accounting entries.
Very steep. iDempiere's UI is window-and-tab based, similar to desktop ERP applications. Understanding the data model (Business Partners, Products, Accounts, Documents) takes weeks. Configuring chart of accounts, accounting schemas, and document sequences correctly requires ERP accounting knowledge. Plan for 2–4 weeks of dedicated setup for an experienced ERP implementer, and significantly longer for a team without ERP background. The GardenWorld demo client helps, but real configuration requires understanding the underlying model.
Minimum: 4 vCPU / 4 GB RAM / 30 GB SSD. Recommended for production: 4 vCPU / 8 GB RAM / 50 GB SSD. iDempiere is Java-based and the JVM requires significant heap memory. With less than 4 GB RAM, the application will crash under any real query load. PostgreSQL should be on the same server or a dedicated database server with at least 2 GB RAM allocated.
Yes — iDempiere's OSGi architecture allows installing plugins (bundles) from the iDempiere plugin marketplace. Access the OSGi console, navigate to install, and paste the plugin bundle URL. Popular plugins include payroll (by country), manufacturing, e-commerce, HR, point of sale, and regional tax compliance. Plugins can be installed without stopping the server.
Yes — iDempiere has a REST API (iDempiere REST plugin) and a legacy web services API (SOAP/XML). The REST plugin supports CRUD operations on any iDempiere model document (Business Partner, Invoice, Payment, etc.) using standard HTTP methods. You can also use iDempiere's table-direct queries via the API. The REST API requires the REST plugin to be installed separately from the standard marketplace.
iDempiere major version upgrades require running database migration scripts in order. The process: back up PostgreSQL, run the migration SQL scripts for each version in sequence, then update the Docker image. The iDempiere community publishes migration scripts for each version on the project wiki. Always test the full upgrade path on a copy of your production database in a staging environment before applying to production.