📦

Detecting Outdated Claude Code Versions

Find and update old Claude Code installations that may have bugs or missing features.

VersionUpdatesMaintenance
Quick Command
$ claude-trace -j | jq '.latest_local_version'

!The Problem

Different Claude Code sessions are running different versions, potentially causing inconsistent behavior or missing bug fixes.

?Common Causes

  • Long-running sessions started before an update
  • Multiple installations (global, local, nvm versions)
  • Failed or incomplete updates
  • Different users on shared machines

🔍How to Diagnose

Claude Trace detects version mismatches:

```bash
# See version for each process
claude-trace -j | jq '.processes[] | {pid, version, project}'

# Check for outdated
claude-trace -j | jq '.outdated_count'
```

In the menu bar app, outdated processes are flagged with a warning.

Solution

1. **Kill outdated sessions**: Restart Claude in those projects
   ```bash
   # Find outdated PIDs
   claude-trace -j | jq -r '.processes[] | select(.is_outdated) | .pid'
   ```

2. **Update Claude Code globally**:
   ```bash
   npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
   ```

3. **Restart all Claude sessions** to pick up the new version

🛡Prevention

- Enable auto-updates for Claude Code
- Restart Claude sessions after updating
- Use Claude Trace to monitor for version drift
- Set a reminder to check for updates weekly

Monitor Claude Code in Real-Time

Get Claude Trace for instant visibility into every Claude process.

Get Claude Trace