How Do I Check The Versions of Python Modules?

You can check the version of installed Python modules using various methods. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Using pip

The pip package manager can list installed modules along with their versions.

• Check the version of a specific module:

  pip show <module_name>
  

  Example:

  pip show numpy
  

  This will display detailed information about the module, including its version.

• List all installed modules with versions:

  pip list
  

  This outputs a list of all installed modules and their versions.

• Save the list to a file:

  pip list > requirements.txt
  

2. Using Python’s Built-in pkg_resources

You can use the pkg_resources module from the setuptools package to check module versions programmatically.

• Example:

  import pkg_resources
  version = pkg_resources.get_distribution("numpy").version
  print(f"Numpy version: {version}")
  

3. Using the __version__ Attribute

Many Python modules include a __version__ attribute to display their version.

• Example:

  import numpy
  print(numpy.__version__)
  

If the module does not have the __version__ attribute, you can try other methods like pip.

4. Using pip freeze

pip freeze lists all installed modules and their versions in a format suitable for use in a requirements.txt file.

• Example:

  pip freeze
  

  Output:

  numpy==1.24.1
  pandas==2.0.3
  

5. Checking with a Virtual Environment

If you’re working in a virtual environment, make sure to activate it before using any of the above methods to ensure you’re inspecting the modules specific to that environment.

• On Linux/macOS:

  source venv/bin/activate
  

• On Windows:

  .\venv\Scripts\activate
  

6. Using sys.modules

If the module is already imported in your script, you can retrieve the version directly from sys.modules.

• Example:

  import sys
  print(sys.modules["numpy"].__version__)
  

These methods allow you to quickly determine the version of installed Python modules for debugging, compatibility checks, or updates.