update_checker

A python module that will check for package updates.

update-checker v1.0.0 2.6M downloads/30d#2,996 on PyPI★ 29

Permissive license BSD-2-Clause Active released 2026-06-08

What it is and what it does

update_checker is a lightweight utility that queries whether a specific Python package has a newer version available on PyPI. It wraps version comparison logic and provides both a simple function-based interface and a more flexible class-based API for conditional logic. The package supports both synchronous and asynchronous operations via an optional async extra.

The module is designed for developers who want to notify users when their installed packages are outdated. It operates on a whitelist model—only certain packages can be checked—which means you'll need to contact the author if you want to monitor a package not already approved. It has no external runtime dependencies and requires Python 3.10 or later.

Use it for:

Notify users at startup if their installed version of a package is outdated
Build a CLI tool that checks for updates to multiple whitelisted packages
Periodically check for new releases in an async application without blocking
Implement conditional logic to prompt users to upgrade before running critical code

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Checks whether a whitelisted Python package has a newer version available, with support for both synchronous and asynchronous queries.

Yes, if the package you want to monitor is whitelisted. It's lightweight, actively maintained, has no dependencies, and offers both sync and async interfaces. The main constraint is the whitelist requirement—verify your target package is supported before committing to it.

Install

update-checker on PyPI

pip

pip install update-checker

uv

uv add update-checker

poetry

poetry add update-checker

Installing update_checker

Before you install

Low friction install with no runtime dependencies. Active maintenance (last commit 2026-08-14, 67 days since release) and requires Python 3.10 or later.

License in practice

BSD-2-Clause permissive license allows use in most projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart

pip install update_checker

from update_checker import update_check
update_check("praw", "0.0.1")

Only whitelisted packages can be checked; contact the author to add a package to the whitelist.

Verify before relying

Which packages are currently whitelisted for update checking
Whether the whitelist is maintained and how to request additions
Performance characteristics when checking multiple packages

Package facts

License	BSD-2-Clause (permissive)
Python support	supports the current Python release (>=3.10)
Install friction	low — pure-Python wheel
Runtime dependencies	none
Maintenance	actively maintained — 67 days since the last release
Last repo commit	2026-08-14
First released	2012-11-04
Downloads	2,574,120/month — #2,996 on PyPI (30-day window, as of 2026-08-14)
Known vulnerabilities	none known (OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14)

Evidence: update_checker-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl

Intended Audience :: DevelopersOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Software DevelopmentTyping :: Typed