---
url: https://docs.cybrosys.com/assista-ide/onboarding.md
description: >-
  Walk through the Assista IDE setup wizard: sign in, download or open an Odoo
  project, create odoo.conf, set up Python and configure the debugger.
---

# First-run setup wizard

The setup wizard takes you from a fresh install to a running Odoo project. It signs you in, downloads or opens Odoo, writes your `odoo.conf`, creates a Python virtual environment and configures the debugger. A cat mascot shows tips and Odoo facts while it works.

## When the wizard appears

The wizard opens when you start Assista IDE with **no folder open**. If you open the IDE with a project folder, it skips the wizard.

* **First launch:** the wizard starts at **Sign in**.
* **Already signed in, or later launches with no folder:** the wizard starts at **Link your project**.
* **Closing the wizard early:** select **Open Editor** on the **Link your project** step to leave with no project. The wizard has no saved progress, so it starts again from the first step the next time you open the IDE with no folder.

Install the [prerequisites](/assista-ide/prerequisites) first. The wizard needs **Git** to download Odoo and **Python** to create the virtual environment, and it tells you if either is missing.

## The steps

The wizard has eight steps, and you can skip most of them.

| Step | What you do |
| :--- | :--- |
| 1. Sign in | Sign in with your Assista account, or skip |
| 2. Link your project | Open an existing Odoo folder, or choose to download Odoo |
| 3. Download Odoo | Pick a version and a destination (only if you download) |
| 4. Create `odoo.conf` | Enter your database details and ports |
| 5. Set up Python | Pick a Python interpreter and create `.venv` |
| 6. Set up the debugger | Confirm the Python, `odoo-bin` and `odoo.conf` paths |
| 7. Choose a theme | Pick a look (first run only) |
| 8. Finish | Open your project |

Every step after **Link your project** has a **Skip** link, so you can finish a step later in [Odoo Settings](/assista-ide/configuration).

## Walk through each step

Each step below shows what the wizard asks for and what it does with your answers.

### 1. Sign in

Select **Login with Google**, or **More ways to sign in** for other methods. Your browser opens the Assista sign-in page, and the IDE continues when you come back. Select **Skip and continue** to sign in later.

Signing in turns on Assista's hosted models in Assista Coder. See [Download and install Assista IDE](/assista-ide/installation#sign-in) for sign-in problems.

### 2. Link your project

This step asks whether you already have Odoo on this machine.

* **Open Project:** choose a folder that already contains an Odoo source tree. The wizard continues to `odoo.conf`.
* **Download Odoo:** fetch a fresh copy of Odoo. The wizard checks for Git first. If Git is missing, it shows the install command for your operating system. Install it and select **Download Odoo** again.
* **Open Editor:** leave the wizard without a project.

> **What counts as an Odoo project.**
>
> The folder must contain `odoo-bin` and `odoo/release.py` at a known version from 11.0 to 20.0. If you choose any other folder, the wizard skips the Odoo steps and opens the folder as a normal project.

### 3. Download Odoo

| Field | What to enter |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Odoo Version** | A version from 11.0 to 20.0. It defaults to the newest |
| **Folder Name** | The folder to create. It fills in as `Odoo20` for 20.0, and you can change it |
| **Destination Path** | The folder that will hold the new Odoo folder. Select the folder icon to browse |

Select **Download**. A progress bar shows the download, and you can select **Cancel** at any time. Odoo downloads as a shallow copy of one version's branch, so it is much smaller than the full Odoo history. When it finishes, the wizard moves on after a couple of seconds.

If the destination folder already exists, the wizard asks before replacing it. It will not overwrite a folder that is not an Odoo copy it created, or a protected folder such as your home folder.

**Download problems:**

| Message | What to do |
| :--- | :--- |
| "Git is not installed or not found in PATH" | [Install Git](/assista-ide/prerequisites#install-git) and try again |
| "No progress for 40s. Please check your internet connection and try again" | The download stalled. Check your connection and select **Try again** |
| "Installation timed out" | The download took longer than 15 minutes. Check your connection and try again |
| "Network error: Unable to resolve …" | A DNS or network problem. Check your connection or proxy settings |
| "SSL verification failed" | Your system certificate settings block GitHub. Fix them or try another network |
| "Insufficient disk space" or "Insufficient permissions" | Free space, or choose a folder you can write to |
| "Target folder is not empty" | Choose a different folder name |

### 4. Create `odoo.conf`

This step writes the Odoo configuration file. If your project already has a `.conf` file, you can choose **Update Existing** to change it in place, or **Create New**.

| Field | Default | Notes |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Database User** | `odoo` | The PostgreSQL user you created in the [prerequisites](/assista-ide/prerequisites#create-the-odoo-database-user) |
| **Database Password** | None | The password you chose for that user |
| **Database Host** | `localhost` | |
| **Database Port** | `5432` | 1 to 65535 |
| **HTTP Port** | `8069` | Shown as **XML-RPC Port** for Odoo versions before 19 |
| **Addons Path** | Optional | Add folders with your own modules. Select the folder icon to browse |
| **Database Name** | Optional | Leave blank to choose the database in Odoo |

Select **Advanced Options** for the log file, proxy mode, workers, cron threads, memory limits and debug logging. All of them are optional.

Select **Save & Continue**. The wizard writes `odoo.conf` in your project folder. A new file includes the project's `addons` folder in the addons path and sets the master password to `admin`. Change that password before you expose Odoo outside your machine.

If you are not sure how to create the PostgreSQL user, select **Need help with PostgreSQL user setup?** in the corner. It shows the commands for your operating system. The same steps are on the [prerequisites page](/assista-ide/prerequisites#create-the-odoo-database-user).

### 5. Set up Python

Pick the Python interpreter for this project.

* The **Python Version** list shows every interpreter the wizard finds, newest first. If it finds none, you see "No Python interpreters found".
* If your pick is not supported by your Odoo version, a **Python version mismatch** warning appears. See the [version table](/assista-ide/prerequisites#choose-the-right-python-version).
* The virtual environment is always created in a `.venv` folder in your project.

Select **Create Venv**. The button stays dimmed until Git and Python are available. If you need to install them, select **Need help with Python prerequisites?**, install what is missing, then come back. The wizard scans again when you return.

While it works you see progress such as **Creating virtual environment**, **Downloading resources** and **Installing N packages**. Setup needs an internet connection and can take a few minutes. Select **Cancel** to stop it.

If you already have a `.venv`, the wizard asks before replacing it. Replacing deletes the existing folder.

**Python problems:**

| Message | What to do |
| :--- | :--- |
| "No Python found" | Install a supported Python and go back to this step |
| "The required Python component 'venv' is not available" | On Ubuntu and Debian, install `python3.X-venv` |
| "Creating the virtual environment took longer than 120s" | Antivirus software may be scanning the new files. Exclude the folder, or pick another Python |
| "Compatible wheels resource not found" | No prebuilt packages exist for this Odoo and Python pair. Pick a supported pair |
| "Failed to install packages" | Check your connection and select **Try Again** |

### 6. Set up the debugger

The wizard finds these three items for you. Each is read-only, and you can change it with the folder button.

| Field | What it points to |
| :--- | :--- |
| **Python Interpreter** | The Python inside your virtual environment |
| **Odoo Bin** | The `odoo-bin` file in your project |
| **Odoo Configuration File** | The `odoo.conf` file |

Turn on **Dev Mode** to start Odoo with `--dev=reload,qweb,xml,assets`. Source and template changes then reload automatically.

Select **Save & Continue**. The wizard adds an **Odoo Debug** entry to `.vscode/launch.json` and keeps your other launch entries. If a field shows "Not found — browse to select", choose the file yourself.

### 7. Choose a theme

On first run, pick **Assista Midnight** (the default), **Assista Light** or **Assista Dark**. Select **Continue**, or **Skip**. You can change the theme later.

### 8. Finish

Select **Open Project** (or **Get Started** if you linked no project). The IDE marks the folder as trusted and opens it in the same window.

## What the wizard does not do

* It does not install PostgreSQL, Node.js, build tools or system libraries.
* It does not create the PostgreSQL user or any database.
* It does not download Enterprise add-ons. Add their folder to **Addons Path**.
* It does not start Odoo. Use **Run** after you finish. See [Run and debug Odoo](/assista-ide/debugging).

## Run the setup again later

You can repeat any step without the wizard. Open the **Odoo** icon in the activity bar to use **Odoo Settings**. It has the same forms for `odoo.conf`, the debugger, downloading Odoo and creating a virtual environment. See [Set up your Odoo environment](/assista-ide/configuration).

To see the wizard's **Link your project** step again, close your folder (**File** > **Close Folder**).

## Next steps

* [Set up your Odoo environment](/assista-ide/configuration)
* [Run and debug Odoo](/assista-ide/debugging)
* [Assista Coder](/assista-ide/features/assista-coder)