How to use the command 'pio update' (with examples)
This article will provide examples and explanations for different use cases of the command ‘pio update’.
Command Description
The ‘pio update’ command is used to update the installed PlatformIO Core packages, development platforms, and global libraries. It allows you to keep your development environment up to date with the latest versions of the packages you have installed.
Use case 1: Perform a full update of all packages, development platforms, and global libraries
Code:
pio update
Motivation:
Performing a full update of all packages, development platforms, and global libraries is important to ensure that you have the latest versions of the software and libraries needed for your projects. This helps to prevent any compatibility issues and ensures that you have access to the latest features and bug fixes.
Explanation:
The command ‘pio update’ without any additional arguments performs a full update of all packages, development platforms, and global libraries. It checks for new versions of all the installed components and installs the updates if available.
Example output:
Looking for the latest versions...
PlatformIO Core is up-to-date
Checking for updates...
Updating platform packages...
Platform packages are up-to-date
Updating global libraries...
Global libraries are up-to-date
Use case 2: Update core packages only
Code:
pio update --core-packages
Motivation:
In some cases, you may not need to update the development platforms and global libraries, but only want to update the core packages of PlatformIO. This can be useful if you want to ensure that you have the latest features and bug fixes of PlatformIO itself without updating the other components.
Explanation:
The ‘–core-packages’ option instructs the ‘pio update’ command to update the core packages only, skipping the update of platforms and libraries.
Example output:
Looking for the latest versions...
PlatformIO Core is up-to-date
Checking for updates...
No updates for platform packages
No updates for global libraries
Use case 3: Check for new versions of packages, platforms, and libraries without updating them
Code:
pio update --dry-run
Motivation:
There may be situations where you want to check if there are any updates available for packages, platforms, and libraries, without actually updating them. This can be useful if you want to manually review the updates and decide if you want to proceed with the update or not.
Explanation:
The ‘–dry-run’ option allows you to check for new versions of packages, platforms, and libraries without making any actual updates. It provides a summary of the updates that are available, but does not apply the updates.
Example output:
Looking for the latest versions...
PlatformIO Core is up-to-date
Checking for updates...
The following platform packages have updates available:
- espressif32 @ 1.12.4+sha842a34
- atmelavr @ 2.0.0+shaee9222
The following global libraries have updates available:
- OneWire @ 2.3.5
Conclusion:
The ‘pio update’ command is a powerful tool for managing and updating your PlatformIO development environment. By using different options such as ‘–core-packages’ or ‘–dry-run’, you can customize the update process to fit your specific needs. Keeping your packages, platforms, and libraries up to date ensures that you have access to the latest features and bug fixes, improving the overall development experience.
