feat: notify user their version of dbc is out of date

.goreleaser.yaml

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ builds:
         goarch: arm64
     mod_timestamp: "{{ .CommitTimestamp }}"
     hooks:
-      post: # sign the windows binaries
+      post:
         - if: '{{ and (eq .Os "windows") (isEnvSet "SM_API_KEY") }}'
           cmd: >-
             smctl sign --keypair-alias "{{ .Env.SM_KEYPAIR_ALIAS }}" --input "{{ .Path }}" --config-file "{{ .Env.PKCS11_CONFIG }}"

cmd/dbc/latest.go

@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Copyright 2026 Columnar Technologies Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
+
+	"charm.land/lipgloss/v2"
+	"github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3"
+	"github.com/cli/safeexec"
+	"github.com/columnar-tech/dbc"
+	"github.com/columnar-tech/dbc/internal"
+)
+
+func isUnderHomebrew(bin string) bool {
+	brewExe, err := safeexec.LookPath("brew")
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	brewPrefixBytes, err := exec.Command(brewExe, "--prefix").Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	brewBinPrefix := filepath.Join(strings.TrimSpace(
+		string(brewPrefixBytes)), "bin") + string(filepath.Separator)
+	return strings.HasPrefix(bin, brewBinPrefix)
+}
+
+func isPkgMgrInstall() bool {
+	exe, err := os.Executable()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if isUnderHomebrew(exe) {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	exe, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(exe)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	switch filepath.Dir(exe) {
+	case "/usr/local/bin":
+		// pip installs here on linux
+		return true
+	case "/usr/bin":
+		// likely a system package manager, but could be other things too
+		return true
+	default:
+		// likely a local user install via script
+		// or via msi on windows etc.
+		// this is the case where we want to notify about updates
+	}
+
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" && strings.HasSuffix(filepath.Dir(exe), "\\Scripts") {
+		// likely a pip install on windows
+		return true
+	}
+
+	if strings.Contains(exe, "conda") || strings.Contains(exe, "venv") {
+		// likely a conda or virtual environment install
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
+func notifyLatest() {
+	if isPkgMgrInstall() {
+		// skip notifying if installed via package manager,
+		// since they likely have their own update mechanism
+		return
+	}
+
+	configDir, err := internal.GetDbcConfigPath()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// skip notifying if $dbc_config_home/.no-update exists
+	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(configDir, ".no-update"))
+	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		latestVer, err := dbc.GetLatestDbcVersion()
+		if dbc.Version != "(devel)" && err == nil {
+			if semver.MustParse(dbc.Version).LessThan(latestVer) {
+				lipgloss.Printf(descStyle.Render("Update available: A new version of dbc is available. You're running %s and v%s is available. Please upgrade.\nChangelog: %s. Docs: %s"),
+					dbc.Version, latestVer, "https://github.com/columnar-tech/dbc/releases/tag/"+latestVer.String(), "https://docs.columnar.tech/dbc/getting_started/installation/")
+				lipgloss.Println()
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

cmd/dbc/main.go

@@ -291,6 +291,10 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if !args.Quiet {
+		notifyLatest()
+	}
+
 	if m, err = prog.Run(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Error running program:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)

docs/getting_started/installation.md

@@ -211,6 +211,23 @@ dbc can generate shell completions for a number of common shells.
 
     You can use the `dbc completion` subcommand to print extended instructions for your shell, including how to enable your shell's completion mechanism. For example, to print setup instructions for Bash, run `dbc completion bash --help`.
 
+## Updating
+
+{{ since_version('v0.2.0') }}
+
+If you installed dbc using the [Standalone Installer](#standalone-installer) or manually through [GitHub Releases](#github-releases), dbc will automatically notify you if your version is out of date and will provide instructions for updating.
+
+For other installation methods, dbc won't automatically notify of updates and you should upgrade dbc in whatever way is standard for your installation method.
+
+!!! note
+    To silence update notifications, create an empty file called `.no-update` in the dbc configuration directory for your operating system:
+
+    - Linux: `~/.config/columnar/dbc/.no-update`
+    - macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Columnar/dbc/.no-update`
+    - Windows: `%AppData%/Columnar/dbc/.no-update`
+
+    If you use a custom `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME`, use `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/columnar/dbc/.no-update`.
+
 ## Uninstallation
 
 To remove dbc from your system, run the uninstall command corresponding to your installation method.

drivers.go

@@ -527,3 +527,17 @@ func SignedByColumnar(lib, sig io.Reader) error {
 
 	return result.SignatureError()
 }
+
+func GetLatestDbcVersion() (*semver.Version, error) {
+	resp, err := makereq("https://dbc.columnar.tech")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch latest dbc version: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusNoContent {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch latest dbc version: %s", resp.Status)
+	}
+
+	return semver.NewVersion(resp.Header.Get("x-dbc-latest"))
+}

go.mod

@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/term v0.2.2 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/termios v0.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/charmbracelet/x/windows v0.2.2 // indirect
+	github.com/cli/safeexec v1.0.1 // indirect
 	github.com/clipperhouse/displaywidth v0.11.0 // indirect
 	github.com/clipperhouse/uax29/v2 v2.7.0 // indirect
 	github.com/cloudflare/circl v1.6.3 // indirect

go.sum

@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ github.com/cli/browser v1.3.0/go.mod h1:HH8s+fOAxjhQoBUAsKuPCbqUuxZDhQ2/aD+SzsEf
 github.com/cli/oauth v1.2.1 h1:9+vketSVuBCbEIpx4XPHHDlTX2R9MbLnM79sfA2Ac+4=
 github.com/cli/oauth v1.2.1/go.mod h1:qd/FX8ZBD6n1sVNQO3aIdRxeu5LGw9WhKnYhIIoC2A4=
 github.com/cli/safeexec v1.0.0/go.mod h1:Z/D4tTN8Vs5gXYHDCbaM1S/anmEDnJb1iW0+EJ5zx3Q=
+github.com/cli/safeexec v1.0.1 h1:e/C79PbXF4yYTN/wauC4tviMxEV13BwljGj0N9j+N00=
+github.com/cli/safeexec v1.0.1/go.mod h1:Z/D4tTN8Vs5gXYHDCbaM1S/anmEDnJb1iW0+EJ5zx3Q=
 github.com/clipperhouse/displaywidth v0.11.0 h1:lBc6kY44VFw+TDx4I8opi/EtL9m20WSEFgwIwO+UVM8=
 github.com/clipperhouse/displaywidth v0.11.0/go.mod h1:bkrFNkf81G8HyVqmKGxsPufD3JhNl3dSqnGhOoSD/o0=
 github.com/clipperhouse/uax29/v2 v2.7.0 h1:+gs4oBZ2gPfVrKPthwbMzWZDaAFPGYK72F0NJv2v7Vk=

internal/paths.go

@@ -41,9 +41,7 @@ func GetUserConfigPath() (string, error) {
 	return finalDir, nil
 }
 
-// Directory for dbc credentials. This dir is distinct from GetUserConfigPath
-// except for on macOS where it's the same
-func GetCredentialPath() (string, error) {
+func GetDbcConfigPath() (string, error) {
 	dir := os.Getenv("XDG_DATA_HOME")
 	if dir == "" {
 		switch runtime.GOOS {
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@ func GetCredentialPath() (string, error) {
 			if err != nil {
 				return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get user config directory: %w", err)
 			}
-			return filepath.Join(userdir, "credentials", "credentials.toml"), nil
+			return userdir, nil
 		default: // unix
 			home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 			if err != nil {
@@ -70,5 +68,16 @@ func GetCredentialPath() (string, error) {
 		return "", errors.New("path in $XDG_DATA_HOME is relative")
 	}
 
-	return filepath.Join(dir, "dbc", "credentials", "credentials.toml"), nil
+	return filepath.Join(dir, "dbc"), nil
+}
+
+// Directory for dbc credentials. This dir is distinct from GetUserConfigPath
+// except for on macOS where it's the same
+func GetCredentialPath() (string, error) {
+	dir, err := GetDbcConfigPath()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get dbc config path: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return filepath.Join(dir, "credentials", "credentials.toml"), nil
 }