Install Oobee manually

What a manual installation involves

A manual installation sets up the tools that the portable Oobee bundles: Node.js to run Oobee, a Java runtime for VeraPDF, and VeraPDF to scan PDF files. Use it when you cannot use the portable download, for example on Linux or on a managed machine where you control the tool versions.

To use the portable download, refer to Install the portable Oobee.

Prerequisites

• A computer with Google Chrome installed. On Linux without Chrome, Oobee uses Playwright’s Chromium instead. Install it with npx playwright install chromium after Step 4.
• The Oobee source code, from the Oobee repository on GitHub.
• Internet access to download the tools and the npm packages.
• Permission to install software and to edit your PATH environment variable.

Step 1: Install Node.js

Oobee requires Node.js 20 (LTS) or later. Check your version:

node -vCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

If Node.js is missing or older than 20, install it. To manage Node.js versions, use Node Version Manager (NVM):

nvm install --lts
nvm use --ltsCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

Run nvm use --lts again each time you open a new terminal.

Step 2: Install Java

Oobee requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or Java Development Kit (JDK) 11 or later. Check your version:

java --versionCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

If Java is missing, install the Corretto distribution of OpenJDK.

Step 3: Install VeraPDF

Oobee uses VeraPDF to scan PDF files. Follow the VeraPDF install guide. You can use its automated installation script and set the <installpath> value in the XML file to a location you choose. The repository includes example files, scripts/verapdf-auto-install-macos.xml and scripts/verapdf-auto-install-windows.xml.

Install VeraPDF, add it to your PATH, then check it:

./verapdf-install ./auto-install.xml
export PATH="<VERAPDF_LOCATION>:$PATH"
verapdf --versionCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

On Windows, use vera-install.bat instead of vera-install. Add VeraPDF to your PATH again each time you open a new terminal, unless you set it permanently.

Step 4: Install the packages and build Oobee

Clone the Oobee repository, or unpack a copy of it, and open the project folder in a terminal. Then run:

npm install
npm run buildCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

npm run build copies the report templates and compiles the TypeScript source into the dist folder. Oobee does not start until you run it.

Step 5: Start Oobee

Start the interactive scan:

npm startCopy to clipboardErrorCopied

Oobee prints a banner with its version and asks “What would you like to scan?”. To scan with command-line options, refer to Run a scan.

Constraints and limitations

Related content

• Run a scan — choose a scan type and options.
• CLI options, environment variables and error codes — optional settings.
• Troubleshooting — fix start-up errors.