---
name: "vercmp"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pacman"
version: "7.1.0.r9.g54d9411-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/vercmp"
---

# vercmp(8)

version comparison utility

## NAME

vercmp - version comparison utility

## SYNOPSIS

*vercmp* \[-h\] \[--help\] \<version1\> \<version2\>

## DESCRIPTION

*vercmp* is used to determine the relationship between two given version numbers. It outputs values as follows:

• \< 0 : if ver1 \< ver2

• = 0 : if ver1 == ver2

• \> 0 : if ver1 \> ver2

Version comparison operates as follows:

```
Alphanumeric:
  1.0a < 1.0b < 1.0beta < 1.0p < 1.0pre < 1.0rc < 1.0 < 1.0.a < 1.0.1
Numeric:
  1 < 1.0 < 1.1 < 1.1.1 < 1.2 < 2.0 < 3.0.0
```

Additionally, version strings can have an *epoch* value defined that will overrule any version comparison, unless the epoch values are equal. This is specified in an epoch:version-rel format. For example, 2:1.0-1 is always greater than 1:3.6-1.

Keep in mind that the *pkgrel* is only compared if it is available on both versions given to this tool. For example, comparing 1.5-1 and 1.5 will yield 0; comparing 1.5-1 and 1.5-2 will yield \< 0 as expected. This is mainly for supporting versioned dependencies that do not include the *pkgrel*.

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  Display summary of the available return codes. Must be the first option specified.

## EXAMPLES

```
$ vercmp 1 2
-1
```

```
$ vercmp 2 1
1
```

```
$ vercmp 2.0-1 1.7-6
1
```

```
$ vercmp 2.0 2.0-13
0
```

```
$ vercmp 4.34 1:001
-1
```

## SEE ALSO

[**pacman**(8)](/pacman/8.md), [**makepkg**(8)](/makepkg/8.md), [**libalpm**(3)](/libalpm/3.md)

See the pacman website at https://archlinux.org/pacman/ for current information on pacman and its related tools.

## BUGS

Bugs? You must be kidding; there are no bugs in this software. But if we happen to be wrong, please report them to the issue tracker at https://gitlab.archlinux.org/pacman/pacman/-/issues with specific information such as your command-line, the nature of the bug, and even the package database if it helps.

## AUTHORS

Current maintainers:

• Allan McRae \<allan@archlinux.org\>

• Andrew Gregory \<andrew.gregory.8@gmail.com\>

• Morgan Adamiec \<morganamilo@archlinux.org\>

Past major contributors:

• Judd Vinet \<jvinet@zeroflux.org\>

• Aurelien Foret \<aurelien@archlinux.org\>

• Aaron Griffin \<aaron@archlinux.org\>

• Dan McGee \<dan@archlinux.org\>

• Xavier Chantry \<shiningxc@gmail.com\>

• Nagy Gabor \<ngaba@bibl.u-szeged.hu\>

• Dave Reisner \<dreisner@archlinux.org\>

• Eli Schwartz \<eschwartz@archlinux.org\>

For additional contributors, use git shortlog -s on the pacman.git repository.