version-guard

version-guard

A Claude Code plugin that verifies and enforces use of the latest stable library and package versions using live documentation lookups.

Problem

Claude's training data has a knowledge cutoff. When recommending library versions, install commands, or dependency configurations, it may suggest outdated versions — leading to:

• Security vulnerabilities from known-vulnerable older releases
• Wasted migration effort when users install old versions and immediately need to upgrade
• Deprecated API usage from code examples targeting superseded releases
• Poor developer experience from outdated patterns and missing features

Solution

version-guard intercepts version-sensitive contexts and verifies the current stable release against live documentation via the Context7 MCP server before making any recommendation. It works across 13+ package ecosystems.

Supported Ecosystems

Ecosystem	Dependency Files
Node/npm	package.json, package-lock.json
Python/pip	requirements.txt, pyproject.toml, setup.py, Pipfile
Python/uv	pyproject.toml, uv.lock
Python/poetry	pyproject.toml, poetry.lock
Rust/cargo	Cargo.toml, Cargo.lock
Go	go.mod, go.sum
Ruby	Gemfile, Gemfile.lock, *.gemspec
Java/Maven	pom.xml
Java/Gradle	build.gradle, build.gradle.kts
.NET	*.csproj, packages.config
PHP/Composer	composer.json, composer.lock
Swift	Package.swift
Elixir	mix.exs

Installation

From a Plugin Marketplace

claude plugin install version-guard@<marketplace-name>

From Local Path

Clone the repository and install from the local directory:

git clone https://github.com/zircote/version-guard.git
claude plugin install --local /path/to/version-guard

From GitHub

claude plugin install --git https://github.com/zircote/version-guard.git

Requirements

• Claude Code CLI
• Context7 MCP server — The plugin uses Context7 for live documentation lookups. Configure it in your Claude Code MCP settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "context7": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@context7/mcp"]
    }
  }
}

• Network access — Required to query Context7 and (as a fallback) web search for version info

Usage

Explicit Invocation

/version-guard

Then describe the library or dependency you need to verify. For example:

/version-guard What is the latest version of React?

Proactive Activation

The plugin activates automatically when Claude detects version-sensitive contexts:

• Recommending or selecting a library version
• Adding dependencies to a project
• Writing install commands (npm install, pip install, cargo add, etc.)
• Writing code examples with version-sensitive imports
• Responding to "what version of X should I use?" questions
• Upgrading or auditing existing dependencies

Example Output

When the plugin verifies a version, you'll see output like:

Using React v19.1.0 (verified current — training data may reference v18.x)

If a breaking change is detected:

React 19 removed legacy context API (contextType). Use createContext + useContext instead. See migration guide: https://react.dev/blog/2024/04/25/react-19-upgrade-guide

How It Works

1. Detects version-sensitive context in the conversation
2. Loads Context7 MCP tools (deferred tools, loaded on demand)
3. Resolves the library via mcp__context7__resolve-library-id
4. Queries current documentation via mcp__context7__query-docs
5. Applies the verified version to recommendations and install commands
6. Flags breaking changes and deprecated patterns when upgrading

Fallback

If Context7 cannot resolve a library, version-guard falls back to:

1. Web search for the latest release
2. GitHub releases page or package registry
3. Clearly states the source of version information

Plugin Structure