ghewgill / pyqver

pyqver - query required Python version
http://hewgill.com

INTRODUCTION

This script attempts to identify the minimum version of Python that is required
to execute a particular source file.

When developing Python scripts for distribution, it is desirable to identify
which minimum version of the Python interpreter is required. pyqver attempts to
answer this question using a simplistic analysis of the output of the Python
compiler.

When run without the -v argument, sources are listed along with the minimum
version of Python required. When run with the -v option, each version is listed
along with the reasons why that version is required. For example, for the
pyqver.py script itself:

pyqver.py
        2.5     collections.defaultdict
        2.4     collections

This means that pyqver.py uses the 'collections' module, which is a 2.4
feature. In addition, it uses the 'collections.defaultdict' function, which is
a 2.5 feature.

This script was inspired by the following question on Stack Overflow:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/804538/tool-to-determine-what-lowest-version-of-python-required

REQUIREMENTS

This script requires at least Python 2.5.

USAGE

Usage: pyqver.py [options] source ...

    Report minimum Python version required to run given source files.

    -m x.y or --min-version x.y (default 2.3)
        report version triggers at or above version x.y in verbose mode
    -v or --verbose
        print more detailed report of version triggers for each version

BUGS

There are currently a few features which are not detected. For example, the 2.6
syntax

    try:
        # ...
    except Exception as x:
        # ...

is not detected because the output of the 'compiler' module is the same for
both the old and the new syntax.

The TODO file has a few notes of things to do.

The 'compiler' module on which pyqver depends has been removed in Python 3.
When porting, a rewrite will be required.