Frappe Framework Version 15 Installation Guide: Complete Setup Tutorial

Installing Frappe Framework Version 15 creates the foundation for building robust ERPNext applications with enhanced performance, modern architecture, and streamlined development workflows.

System Requirements and Compatibility

Supported Operating Systems

Frappe Framework v15 officially supports Unix-based systems, including Linux distributions and macOS, with specific recommendations for optimal performance :

Officially Supported Platforms:

Ubuntu 22.04+ (recommended for production deployments)
Debian 12+ (stable server environments)
macOS (development environments)
Windows via WSL (Ubuntu in Windows Subsystem for Linux)

Hardware Specifications

Production-grade Frappe v15 installations require adequate system resources to ensure optimal performance and scalability :

Minimum Requirements:

RAM: 4GB (8GB recommended for production)
Storage: 40GB available disk space (SSD preferred)
CPU: 2 cores minimum (4 cores recommended)
Network: Stable internet connection for package downloads

Production Recommendations:

RAM: 8GB+ for multiple concurrent users
Storage: 100GB+ SSD for database and application files
CPU: 4+ cores for optimal concurrent processing
Backup: Automated backup system with redundancy

Essential Dependencies and Prerequisites

Core System Dependencies

Frappe Framework v15 requires specific versions of essential software components for proper functionality :

Required Software Stack:

MariaDB 10.6.6+ (MariaDB 11.3 recommended for development)
Python 3.10+ (Python 3.11+ preferred for latest features)
Node.js 18+ (updated from v14 requirement in previous versions)
Redis 6+ (caching and real-time updates)
yarn 1.12+ (JavaScript dependency management)
pip 20+ (Python package management)

Additional System Tools

PDF Generation and Automation:

wkhtmltopdf 0.12.5 with patched Qt (PDF document generation)
cron (scheduled tasks: certificate renewal, automated backups)

Ubuntu/Debian Installation Process

System Preparation and User Setup

Begin Frappe v15 installation by preparing the Ubuntu system with proper user configuration and system updates :

bash # Update system packages sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y # Create dedicated frappe user sudo adduser frappe sudo usermod -aG sudo frappe # Switch to frappe user su - frappe cd /home/frappe

Database Server Installation

MariaDB Configuration

Install and configure MariaDB with Frappe-optimized settings for Version 15 compatibility :

bash # Install MariaDB and dependencies sudo apt install git python-is-python3 python3-dev python3-pip redis-server libmariadb-dev mariadb-server mariadb-client pkg-config # Secure MariaDB installation sudo mariadb-secure-installation

MariaDB Configuration for Frappe v15:

For versions before Frappe v15.21.0, configure MariaDB with UTF8MB4 support :

bash # Edit MariaDB configuration sudo nano /etc/mysql/my.cnf # Add configuration block [mysqld] character-set-client-handshake = FALSE character-set-server = utf8mb4 collation-server = utf8mb4_unicode_ci [mysql] default-character-set = utf8mb4 # Restart MariaDB service sudo systemctl restart mariadb

Node.js and JavaScript Environment

Node Version Manager Installation

Install Node.js 18+ using Node Version Manager for flexible version management :

bash # Install NVM curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash # Reload terminal or source profile source ~/.profile # Install Node.js 18 nvm install 18 nvm use 18 # Verify installation node -v # Should show v18.x.x # Install Yarn globally npm install -g yarn

PDF Generation Dependencies

Install wkhtmltopdf for PDF generation capabilities required by Frappe applications :

bash # Install system dependencies sudo apt install xvfb libfontconfig # Download and install wkhtmltopdf # Visit https://wkhtmltopdf.org/downloads.html for latest version sudo dpkg -i wkhtmltox_file.deb

macOS Installation Process

Developer Tools and Homebrew

Set up essential development tools and package management for macOS Frappe v15 installation :

bash # Install Xcode command line tools xcode-select --install # Install Homebrew package manager /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)" # Install required packages via Homebrew brew install python@3.12 git redis mariadb@10.6 node@18 postgresql pkg-config mariadb-connector-c

wkhtmltopdf for macOS

Install PDF generation tools specifically for macOS environment :

bash # Download and install wkhtmltopdf for macOS curl -L https://github.com/wkhtmltopdf/packaging/releases/download/0.12.6-2/wkhtmltox-0.12.6-2.macos-cocoa.pkg -O installer -pkg wkhtmltox-0.12.6-2.macos-cocoa.pkg -target ~

MariaDB Configuration on macOS

Configure MariaDB for optimal Frappe Framework v15 performance on macOS :

bash # Edit MariaDB configuration (Intel Macs) nano /usr/local/etc/my.cnf # Edit MariaDB configuration (Apple Silicon) nano /opt/homebrew/etc/my.cnf # Add Frappe-optimized configuration [mysqld] character-set-client-handshake = FALSE character-set-server = utf8mb4 collation-server = utf8mb4_unicode_ci bind-address = 127.0.0.1 [mysql] default-character-set = utf8mb4 # Restart MariaDB service brew services restart mariadb@10.6

Bench CLI Installation and Setup

Installing Frappe Bench

Install the Bench CLI tool for managing Frappe applications and development environments :

bash # Install bench via pip pip install frappe-bench # Handle externally-managed-environment error (if needed) pip install frappe-bench --break-system-packages

Alternative Installation Methods

UV Package Manager Method

For systems with externally-managed-environment restrictions, use UV package manager :

bash # Install UV package manager curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh # Create shell alias for bench echo "alias bench='uvx --from frappe-bench bench'" >> ~/.bashrc source ~/.bashrc

PATH Configuration

Ensure bench command is accessible system-wide by configuring PATH variables :

bash # Add bench to PATH (if required) echo "export PATH=/path/to/bin:$PATH" >> ~/.profile source ~/.profile # Verify bench installation bench --version

Creating Your First Frappe Environment

Initializing Frappe Bench

Create a new Frappe bench environment specifically configured for Version 15 :

bash # Navigate to home directory cd ~ # Initialize bench with Frappe v15 bench init frappe-bench --frappe-branch version-15 # Navigate to bench directory cd frappe-bench/ # Set proper directory permissions chmod -R o+rx /home/frappe/

Site Creation and Configuration

Creating Your First Site

Establish a new site within the Frappe bench environment for application deployment :

bash # Create new site bench new-site site1.local # Set as default site (optional) bench use site1.local # Start development server bench start

ERPNext Installation

Adding ERPNext to Your Site

Install ERPNext application on your newly created Frappe site :

bash # Get ERPNext from repository bench get-app erpnext --branch version-15 # Install ERPNext on site bench --site site1.local install-app erpnext # Migrate database changes bench --site site1.local migrate

Production Deployment Considerations

Docker-Based Installation

For production deployments or containerized development environments, use Frappe Docker :

bash # Clone frappe_docker repository git clone https://github.com/frappe/frappe_docker cd frappe_docker # Start Docker environment docker compose -f pwd.yml up -d # Wait for site creation (approximately 5 minutes) docker compose -f pwd.yml logs -f create-site

Security and Performance Optimization

Database Security Configuration

Implement security best practices for production MariaDB installations :

bash # Secure MySQL installation with enhanced security sudo mysql_secure_installation # Configure additional security parameters sudo tee -a /etc/mysql/my.cnf <<EOF [mysqld] innodb_file_per_table = 1 innodb_buffer_pool_size = 1G innodb_log_file_size = 128M innodb_log_buffer_size = 256M EOF sudo systemctl restart mysql

Development Environment Verification

Testing Installation Success

Verify successful Frappe Framework v15 installation through comprehensive testing :

bash # Check bench status bench --version # Verify site accessibility bench browse site1.local # Test database connectivity bench --site site1.local console # Run development server bench start

Common Installation Issues

Permission and Path Problems

Address common installation challenges encountered during Frappe v15 setup :

Externally-Managed-Environment Error:

Use –break-system-packages flag with pip
Consider virtual environment isolation
Implement UV package manager alternative

PATH Configuration Issues:

Manually add bench directory to system PATH
Source profile files after installation
Verify environment variable persistence

Next Steps and Development Resources

Post-Installation Configuration

Complete your Frappe Framework v15 setup with essential configuration steps :

SSL Certificate Setup: Configure HTTPS for production environments
Email Configuration: Set up SMTP for automated notifications
Backup Configuration: Implement automated backup procedures
Custom App Development: Begin building custom applications

Community Resources and Support

Access comprehensive learning materials and community support through GoERPNext platform :

Enhanced Documentation: Access meticulously restructured guides
Active Community Forum: Connect with developers and users
Best Practices: Learn from community-contributed solutions
Troubleshooting Support: Get help with installation challenges

Frappe Framework Version 15 installation establishes a powerful foundation for building scalable, modern web applications with enhanced performance and developer experience, enabling rapid development of comprehensive business solutions through the ERPNext ecosystem.

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