How to Check Paramiko Version Installed

Knowing the installed version of Paramiko is often necessary for troubleshooting, checking compatibility, or ensuring you’re using the latest features. Check methods to check the Paramiko version on your system.

1. Using Python (Recommended)

The most straightforward way to check the Paramiko version is directly within Python.

Method 1: Importing and accessing __version__

import paramiko

print(paramiko.__version__)

This code imports the Paramiko library and then prints the value of the __version__ attribute, which contains the version string.

Method 2: Using pkg_resources (for installed packages)

import pkg_resources

try:
    version = pkg_resources.get_distribution('paramiko').version
    print(version)
except pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound:
    print("Paramiko is not installed.")

This method is more robust, especially in cases where the library might not be properly importable. It uses pkg_resources to directly query package metadata.

2. Using pip (Package Installer)

If you installed Paramiko using pip, you can also use pip to check the installed version.

Method 1: pip show

pip show paramiko

This command displays detailed information about the Paramiko package, including its version, location, and dependencies.

Method 2: pip freeze (for listing all installed packages)

pip freeze | findstr paramiko  # Windows
pip freeze | grep paramiko   # macOS/Linux

This command lists all installed packages and filters the output to show only Paramiko. The version will be included in the output.

3. From within a Python script

You can easily embed the version check into your Python scripts:

import paramiko

def check_paramiko_version():
    try:
        version = paramiko.__version__
        return version
    except ImportError:
        return "Paramiko is not installed."

version = check_paramiko_version()
print(f"Paramiko version: {version}")

# ... rest of your script ...

This function checks for the presence of Paramiko and returns the version or a message indicating that it’s not installed. This is useful for including version checks in your applications.

Which method to use?

• For a quick check in the interactive Python interpreter or in a simple script, directly accessing paramiko.__version__ is the easiest.
• For a more robust check that handles cases where Paramiko might not be importable, use pkg_resources.get_distribution(‘paramiko’).version.
• If you want to see other details about the Paramiko package or if you’re working in a context where you don’t have a Python interpreter readily available, use pip show paramiko.