Check Python Package Version: Through PIP or a Script

If you want to check the Python package version, you’ve come to the right place. Python, a popular programming language, offers many packages to help you accomplish different tasks. Knowing the version of a Python package is often crucial. This easy guide will provide two straightforward methods to determine this information.

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Understanding Python Package Version

Python is known for its extensive collection of packages. A package is simply a bundle of codes that perform specific tasks. The developers update each package over time and differentiate these updates by assigning version numbers. Hence, checking the Python package version becomes essential to ensure compatibility and proper functioning.

Method 1: Check the Python Package Version Using PIP and the Command Line Interface

The command line (CLI) is a text-based way to interact with your computer, whether on Windows through ‘cmd.exe’ or ‘terminal’ on Linux-based systems. Using this and Python’s package manager, ‘pip.exe,’ with the ‘show’ option, you can check the Python package version with just a single line of text.
Type the command:

pip show <package-name>

replacing <package-name> with the name of the package you want to check that is installed on your system. This command will display details about the package, including its version number.

For instance, if you want to check the version of a package called ‘numpy,’ execute:

pip show numpy

in CMD or terminal. The output will reveal the version of the ‘numpy’ package installed on your system.

Method 2: Using Python’s Interactive Shell or Inside a Script

Another way to check the Python package version is through Python’s interactive shell or inside a script. Most Python packages come with a special attribute, ‘__version__’. You can use this to find out the version of a package.
Here is an example:

import <package-name>
print(<package-name>.__version__)

First, ‘import <package-name>’ will import the desired package. You need to replace <package-name> with the name of the package. Next, ‘print(<package-name>.__version__)’ will output the package version.

If you want to check the version of ‘numpy’:

import numpy
print(numpy.__version__)

The snippet will display the version of numpy you have installed.

Remember that not all Python packages have a ‘__version__’ attribute. In such cases, refer to the package’s documentation to figure out how to check its version.

Conclusion

Checking the Python package version is a fundamental skill for those working with Python, and we hope this guide has helped simplify the process for you. Whether you use the command line or Python’s interactive shell, you now know to determine the version of any Python package.

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