# Squad Version Check

Internals of how @bradygaster/squad-cli stamps its version, how `squad upgrade` works...

- Repository: https://github.com/microsoft/waza (1496 stars)
- Category: AI and agents
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-10-31
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill squad-version-check -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill squad-version-check -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill squad-version-check -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add microsoft/waza --skill squad-version-check -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Internals of how @bradygaster/squad-cli stamps its version, how `squad upgrade` works (what it preserves vs overwrites), and how to probe the npm registry for the latest version from a coordinator prompt.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# SKILL: Squad CLI Internals, Version Stamping & Upgrade Mechanics

**Confidence:** medium
**Discovered by:** repository investigation
**Date:** 2026-05-26
**Validated in:** Issue #1173 recon (bradygaster/squad)

---

## What This Skill Covers

Reusable knowledge about how `@bradygaster/squad-cli` stamps its version into `squad.agent.md`, how `squad upgrade` works, what it preserves vs. overwrites, and how to probe the npm registry for the latest version from a coordinator prompt.

---

## Package & Registry Facts

- **Package name:** `@bradygaster/squad-cli`
- **Registry:** npm (public)
- **CLI binary:** `squad` (registered via `package.json#bin.squad`)
- **Node version requirement:** Node ≥22.5.0 (ESM-only codebase)

---

## Version Stamping Mechanism

**Source file:** `dist/cli/core/version.js`

Three functions:

### `getPackageVersion()`
Walks up from the compiled JS file to find `package.json`. Returns `pkg.version`. Works from both `dist/cli/core/version.js` and a bundled root `cli.js`. Returns `'0.0.0'` as fallback if not found.

### `stampVersion(filePath, version)`
Mutates `squad.agent.md` in three places:
1. HTML comment: `<!-- version: {version} -->` (must be on the line immediately after frontmatter `---`)
2. Identity line: `- **Version:** {version}`
3. Greeting instruction: backtick-quoted `` `Squad v{version}` ``

**Called by:** both `init` and `upgrade`, after copying the template to the destination.

### `readInstalledVersion(filePath)`
Reads the stamped version back from `squad.agent.md`:
1. First tries HTML comment format: `/<!-- version: ([0-9.]+(?:-[a-z]+(?:\.\d+)?)?) -->/`
2. Falls back to old frontmatter format: `/^version:\s*"([^"]+)"/m`
3. Returns `'0.0.0'` on any error

---

## `squad upgrade` Behavior

**Source file:** `dist/cli/core/upgrade.js`

The rest: https://github.com/microsoft/waza/blob/HEAD/.github/skills/squad-version-check/SKILL.md