Crates / version_check / Alternatives
Rust crate alternatives · data Oct 24, 2026
Alternatives to version_check
Short answerThe closest alternatives to version_check on crates.io data are rustc_version (2.1M real downloads a day), autocfg (3.8M real downloads a day), rustc-hash (3M real downloads a day). Of the 5 we list, the most used is autocfg, and 3 shipped a release in the last year. version_check itself gets 3,006,541 a day with 170 dependents.
Every alternative we found
| Alternative | Real downloads a day | vs version_check | Dependents | Last release | Why it is listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rustc_version Established | 2,120,948 | 0.71x | 699 | 2.2y | keyword "rustc", keyword "version" | compare |
| autocfg Pulled in | 3,840,273 | 1.28x | 82 | 5mo | keyword "rustc" | compare |
| rustc-hash Widely used | 2,998,135 | 1.00x | 3,505 | 4mo | keyword "rustc" | compare |
| cfg-expr Pulled in | 348,087 | 0.12x | 22 | 23d | keyword "rustc" | compare |
| semver-parser Pulled in | 276,382 | 0.09x | 12 | 23mo | keyword "version" | compare |
How to choose
- Same job, not the same API. Each line is listed because it shares a crates.io category or keyword with version_check; read its description before you swap.
- More dependents means more answered questions and a smaller chance it disappears.
- Check the last release against how fast you need fixes. For version_check: is it still maintained?
Rules
Alternatives = tracked crates (top 1000 by downloads) that share a specific crates.io category (2 points each) or keyword (3 points each) with version_check, most similar first; its own parts (same name prefix) and crates it depends on or that depend on it are left out, because those are companions, not substitutes. Real downloads = quiet-day median, crates.io data Oct 24, 2026. Built when we find 3 or more.
Up next
The closest alternative: Established and quiet for years. 2,120,948 real downloads a day.rustc_versionRust crate. A library for querying the version of a installed rustc compiler. Real use: 2.1M downloads a day on quiet days; 699 crates depend on it.Read it next →Also worth your time