Software Version / Package Tools

Composer Version Constraint Helper

Understand a Composer version constraint - ^, ~, wildcards, ranges and stability flags - and test which versions it would install.

Enter a constraint from composer.json to see exactly which versions it allows, then test real versions against it with your minimum-stability setting.

Composer version constraint

minimum-stability

Versions to test (optional, one per line)

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Composer resolves all packages together, so a version this tool marks installable can still be ruled out by another package's requirements.

What Is the Composer Version Constraint Helper?

It translates a Composer constraint into plain bounds and checks versions against it using Composer's own rules - including four-part versions, stability suffixes (-alpha1, -beta2, -RC1, -dev) and dev- branches.

When to Use It

Choosing a constraint for a new requirement in composer.json.
Working out why composer update won't install a version you expected.
Moving between npm and Composer, where the same symbols behave differently.

How to Use It

Enter a constraint, or click an example.
Pick your project's minimum-stability (default: stable).
List versions to test - each is marked installable, outside the constraint, or blocked by stability.

Constraint Cheat Sheet

^1.2.3 → >=1.2.3 <2.0.0; ^0.3 → >=0.3.0 <0.4.0.
~1.2 → >=1.2 <2.0 (the last number given may rise) - but npm's ~1.2 means <1.3.0.
~1.2.3 → >=1.2.3 <1.3.0.
1.0.* → >=1.0 <1.1; 1.0 - 2.0 → >=1.0 <2.1.
Comma or space means AND; || means OR.
@beta, @dev lower the stability allowed for that package only.

Understanding the Result

"Blocked by stability" means the version number fits but it is a prerelease below your minimum-stability. Stability flags (and prerelease versions written in the constraint itself) only take effect in the root composer.json.

Limitations

No Packagist data is fetched - you supply the versions. Branch aliases and prefer-stable are not modelled. For npm ranges, use the Version Range Calculator; to compare two composer.json files, use the Dependency Version Comparator.