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How can I check installed program versions in terminal. Is there any command for that, for example ver or something similar?

Braiam
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albdaq
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1 Answers1

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The way how to know version of an installed package varies for different programs. Usually 

application_name --version

or

application_name -version

can be used to know it. It is better to see man application_name and search which is the command line switch to know the version.

If you installed any package using apt, to see the version you can try 

apt-cache policy package_name

In few cases the version can be found in application_name --help. For example virtualbox

In few very little case application_name -v also gives you version.

sourav c.
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  • thnx, it was very helpful :) – albdaq Mar 30 '14 at 07:26
  • package_name --version is not usually, it's a standard, so it must to work with any package. – Radu Rădeanu Mar 30 '14 at 07:30
  • package_name -v is also not usually. It works only for a small number of programs. See gedit -v, ls -l, chromium-browser -v, grep -v, sed -v, etc. So I think that is not a good advice at all. – Radu Rădeanu Mar 30 '14 at 07:42
  • Thanks @RaduRădeanu for correcting me. I meant to say application, but written package by mistake. Edited, plz check once. – sourav c. Mar 30 '14 at 07:58
  • @souravc It doesn't make any difference. See google-chrome -v or chromium-browser -v. And any application is a program for me. See also http://unix.stackexchange.com/q/2645/37944. – Radu Rădeanu Mar 30 '14 at 08:05