Building Dynamic Website Snippets in Odoo 18: A Complete Guide

Odoo 18 continues to evolve as one of the most powerful ERP and website management platforms, offering businesses a complete solution to run operations and digital presence in one place. One of its standout features is the website snippet system—modular building blocks that allow users to design attractive websites with simple drag-and-drop actions.

While Odoo provides a wide range of pre-built snippets like banners, images, call-to-action blocks, and carousels, many businesses require dynamic snippets. These are snippets that automatically display real-time information from the backend, ensuring that websites are always updated without manual intervention. In this article, we will explore how to build dynamic website snippets in Odoo 18, why they matter, and what benefits they bring to both developers and businesses.

What are Snippets in Odoo?

Snippets in Odoo are essentially building blocks for websites. They can be dragged into a page, customized, and published instantly. While static snippets simply display fixed content such as an image or text block, dynamic snippets go further.

Dynamic snippets can:

• Display content directly from Odoo’s backend modules such as products, blogs, or events.

• Automatically update when the backend data changes.

• Provide interactivity, like filters, sorting, or pagination, to enhance user experience.

For example, an eCommerce website may use a dynamic snippet to showcase new arrivals or best-selling products, while a corporate site may display latest blogs or upcoming events.

Step 1: Setting Up the Module

To create a custom snippet in Odoo 18, developers begin by setting up a dedicated module. This acts as the home for all files that define the snippet’s design, behavior, and integration. The module usually includes configuration files, views, and static assets like CSS and JavaScript.

This modular approach ensures the snippet is reusable, easy to maintain, and can be installed or removed without disturbing the rest of the system.

Step 2: Designing the Snippet Template

At the heart of a snippet lies its template. The template defines the structure—such as where text, images, or dynamic data will appear. For example, a snippet for product showcase may define a section with placeholders for product name, price, and image.

Once the template is created, it is registered with Odoo’s website editor. This makes the new snippet available alongside the default snippets, ready to be dragged and dropped onto any webpage.

Step 3: Making Snippets Dynamic

While templates provide structure, the real power of dynamic snippets comes from connecting them to Odoo’s backend. Developers configure a mechanism to pull live data—for example, retrieving product information from the inventory module or blog posts from the website module.

This ensures that every time the snippet is displayed, it reflects real-time information rather than static content. Businesses no longer need to manually edit their web pages whenever they add new products, publish a blog, or update pricing.

Step 4: Adding Interactivity

Dynamic snippets in Odoo 18 are not just about fetching data—they also enable interactivity. Features like search filters, dropdowns, and category selectors can be added so that users can engage with the content more effectively.

For instance, an eCommerce snippet might allow shoppers to filter products by category or price range directly on the page, without reloading it. Similarly, a news snippet could let users browse articles by date or tag. These interactive elements make websites more engaging and user-friendly.

Step 5: Styling and Customization

Beyond functionality, styling plays a critical role in making snippets appealing. Developers can add CSS for design consistency, while Odoo allows snippets to include options in the website editor.

This means non-technical users can easily adjust colors, layouts, or visibility settings directly from the drag-and-drop interface without touching the code. The result is a flexible and visually attractive snippet that matches the brand’s look and feel.

Benefits of Dynamic Snippets

Building dynamic snippets in Odoo 18 provides several advantages:

1. Real-Time Updates: Content stays synchronized with backend data, eliminating manual updates.

2. Enhanced User Experience: Interactive snippets engage users and improve navigation.

3. Reduced Workload: Businesses save time as there’s no need to update web pages repeatedly.

4. Scalability: Snippets can be extended to display more data, new features, or advanced filtering as the business grows.

5. Brand Consistency: Customization ensures snippets match the overall website design and branding.

Conclusion

Dynamic website snippets in Odoo 18 empower businesses to create websites that are not only visually appealing but also data-driven and interactive. By bridging the gap between Odoo’s backend modules and the website front end, these snippets ensure content is always current, relevant, and engaging for visitors.

At Surekha Technologies, we deliver tailored Odoo solutions ranging from ERP implementation to custom module and website development. Our expertise in Odoo ensures scalable, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions that help businesses streamline operations and boost digital growth.