Odoo Code Tracer

SkillDatabases & data

Trace Odoo execution flow from an entry point through controllers, button actions, cron jobs, model methods, overrides, computes, onchanges, constraints, database operations, security checks, and side effects. Use before implementation, during debugging, impact analysis, performance review, or code review when behavior depends on Odoo call chains.

Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.

Add ahel to your AI once: Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Claude Code or Codex. Then ask it to use this.

Then ask your AI: use the Odoo Code Tracer skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by mart337i/odoo-skills in skills/odoo-code-tracer/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Use this skill to map how Odoo code actually executes. Trace only what you can verify in code. If a path is uncertain, mark it as uncertain and explain what evidence is missing.

First Move

Identify the starting point:

  • HTTP route or controller
  • form/list button action
  • server action or automated action
  • cron job
  • ORM method called by another addon
  • compute, onchange, constraint, inverse, or create/write/unlink hook
  • report render
  • OWL/web client action calling backend code
  • external webhook or integration callback

Detect the target Odoo version. If a version-specific reference exists, consult it before tracing version-sensitive behavior:

  • Odoo 17: odoo-17.0
  • Odoo 18: odoo-18.0
  • Odoo 19: odoo-19.0
  • Odoo 20: odoo-20.0

If $ODOO_SOURCE is set, inspect local framework code for controller dispatch, ORM behavior, decorators, web client actions, assets, tests, and version-specific execution details.

Tracing Process

  1. Locate the entry point with file and line reference.
  2. Follow the direct method call chain.
  3. Follow inheritance and super() calls through parent implementations.
  4. Check decorators and implicit triggers: @api.depends, @api.constrains, @api.onchange, inverse methods, @api.ondelete, create/write/unlink overrides.
  5. Follow XML wiring: buttons, actions, menus, reports, cron records, server actions, and external IDs.
  6. Follow frontend wiring when relevant: asset bundle, JS module, registry entry, service call, RPC/ORM call, template event.
  7. Record database operations: search, browse, read, read_group, create, write, unlink, direct SQL, savepoints, locks.
  8. Record side effects: chatter, emails, notifications, activities, reports, attachments, external API calls, queue jobs, bus events.
  9. Record security checks: auth mode, ACLs, record rules, groups, domains, company filters, sudo() boundaries.
  10. Mark exit points and returned actions/data.

What To Watch For

  • N+1 queries from searches, browses, reads, creates, writes, or unlinks inside loops.
  • Hidden side effects from computed fields, constraints, onchange methods, mail mixins, activities, and automation.
  • Unsafe sudo() that bypasses ownership, company, portal, or public-user boundaries.
  • Fragile XML linkage through renamed methods, missing external IDs, or version-specific view syntax.
  • Transaction hazards from caught database exceptions without savepoints.
  • Business rules split across views, onchanges, controllers, and scheduled actions.

Common Entry Patterns

Entry TypeWhere To LookFollow Next
Controllercontrollers/*.py, @http.routerequest env, auth, params, model calls
ButtonXML <button name="..." type="object">model method, overrides, returned action
CronXML/data ir.cron recordmodel method, batching, side effects
Server actionXML/data ir.actions.servermodel, code block, target records
Computefield compute="...", @api.dependsdependencies, store behavior, recompute path
Onchange@api.onchange, form view fieldsUI-only behavior, persisted equivalent
Constraint@api.constrains, SQL constraintsvalidation path and exception behavior
Reportir.actions.report, QWeb templateaccess, render context, attachments
OWL/RPCstatic/src, services, registriesbackend route/model method

Output Format

## Code Execution Trace

### Entry Point
- Type: Controller / Button / Cron / Server action / Compute / Onchange / Constraint / Report / OWL / Other
- Location: `path/to/file.py:XX`
- Trigger: user action, scheduler, external request, field access, module update, etc.

### Flow
```text
ENTRY: `path/to/file.xml:XX` button/action/route
-> `models/foo.py:42` Foo.action_do_thing()
   -> `models/foo.py:63` Foo._prepare_values()
   -> `models/bar.py:18` Bar.create()
   -> side effect: message_post()
RETURN: `ir.actions.act_window`
```

### Detailed Trace
- `path/to/file.py:XX` method name, decorators, inputs, key branches.
- `path/to/parent.py:XX` parent implementation reached via `super()`.
- `path/to/data.xml:XX` cron/action/report/XML ID involved.

### Database Operations
- `search`: model/domain/count if known.
- `create/write/unlink`: model/count if known.
- Direct SQL/savepoints/locks: state exact location.
- N+1 risk: yes/no/uncertain with reason.

### Security Notes
- Auth mode, ACL/record-rule expectations, groups, company behavior, `sudo()` boundaries.

### Side Effects
- Emails, chatter, activities, attachments, reports, external calls, queue jobs, bus events.

### Uncertain Paths
- State what could not be proven and what file/source would resolve it.

Response Rules

  • Always include file/line references for traced code.
  • Trace inheritance and super() explicitly.
  • Do not assume a framework path if local source is available; inspect it.
  • Do not run Odoo commands that touch a database or service without user confirmation.
  • If the trace reveals review findings, compose with odoo-code-review.

Signals

GitHub stars
38
Forks
10
Last commit
Sep 2026
Advanced
Catalog kind
skill
Key
odoo-code-tracer
Source
github.com/mart337i/odoo-skills