The Web Responsive module offers multiple visual improvements for better UI/UX experience in the community edition.
The module has well-documented features that help users understand what it offers.
The list of features is divided into three groups based on device screen size:
- Universal Features
- Mobile-Specific Features
- Desktop-Specific Features
Universal Features
Once the module is installed, it is immediately noticeable that the navigation menu has changed to a full-screen app menu. Additionally, a quick menu search is added at the top, which is auto-focused on desktop screens. This change makes navigation through the system quicker and more convenient.
Furthermore, users can set the default view after logging in to be the full-screen app menu. This can be done by selecting the option Redirect to Home in the Preferences tab of the User form view. The User form view can be accessed via Settings > Users & Companies > Users.
The next few improvements in this group focus on list and form views. In the list view, both the header and footer are made sticky. By default, Odoo only makes the header sticky for desktops. This change significantly improves the user experience when scrolling through long list views. Additionally, checkboxes in the list view are slightly enlarged for better usability.
In the form view, the status bar is made sticky, making it accessible for any action without requiring users to scroll to the top of the screen. This feature worked as expected in version 16; however, during our testing, it did not function properly in version 17.
Another useful enhancement is the ability to change the color of the chatter composer when a message is sent to external users. This functionality improves clarity and usability.
Mobile-Specific Features
The features in this section, which are not available in native Odoo 17, mainly focus on optimizing screen space. As part of this optimization, the buttons in the control panel are replaced with icons.
Additionally, the avatar is removed from the chatter when sending a new message. This change creates extra space for the message composer, which is particularly valuable on small screens.
Desktop-Specific Features
For desktop screens, one highly useful feature is the ability to expand form sheets to full width. This creates additional workspace, especially when the chatter is positioned at the bottom. The position of the chatter can be easily adjusted using the Chatter Position module.
Another feature in this group is the ability to preview attachments on the side. Users still have the option to maximize the preview if needed.
The last modification introduced by the module concerns keyboard shortcuts. After installation, the Alt + [NUM] shortcuts are replaced with Alt + Shift + [NUM]. According to the documentation, this change is primarily intended to avoid conflicts with Firefox tab-switching shortcuts. A practical addition is that pressing Alt displays the available shortcuts on the screen, making them easier to use.
Final Thoughts
This module provides valuable features that make working in Odoo even more convenient. However, given the wide array of functionalities, not all features may align with every user's preferences. A potential improvement could be categorizing these features into groups and offering them as optional choices. This way, users could select only the features relevant to their needs.
The module is actively maintained by the Odoo Community Association (OCA), and the latest available version is 17.0.1.1.6, with migration to version 18 in progress.
In addition is a short video with the module’s features.