How to find Alfresco Version?

How to Find Your Alfresco Content Services Version – A Detailed Guide

As an IT professional and Alfresco enthusiast, I often get asked how to identify the Alfresco version in use. With multiple versions, clusters, and updates being released, it‘s a common point of confusion. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll provide key insights into the various methods of checking Alfresco version, when and why it‘s important, and some handy pro tips I‘ve learned along the way.

Two Primary Ways to Check Version

There are two main approaches to finding your Alfresco version:

1. Via Share or Explorer

This method provides the quickest answer in just a few clicks:

1. Login as Admin to Share or Explorer.
2. Click the Alfresco logo in the top left corner.
3. A popup displays the full version – e.g. Alfresco Content Services 7.0.1.

If you have multiple Alfresco instances connected to Share, you‘ll need to check each one individually. The displayed version is for the specific server you‘re logged into.

2. Checking alfresco.log

For a foolproof version check, going directly to the source logs is ideal:

1. SSH into the Alfresco server.
2. Navigate to /opt/alfresco/ or install directory.
3. Open alfresco.log file.
4. Search for "alfresco started".

You‘ll see the full version details:

Alfresco started (Community): Current version 7.0.1 (release 7.0.1.1) schema 15079

On a clustered environment, be sure to check logs on each node – versions may differ if not upgraded in sync.

Pro Tips and Troubleshooting

With over 10 years of experience in enterprise content management, I‘ve gathered some handy troubleshooting tips:

• Restart Alfresco and Share if version isn‘t showing up. It can take several minutes for startup to fully complete.

• Make sure Alfresco logs show "started" before checking. The version line appears at startup.

• Try searching logs for just "started" not the full phrase in case format changes.

• Verify admin user – some details are hidden from non-admin users in Share.

• If all else fails, check the shared classpath for version files like alfresco-global.properties.

When to Check Version and Why It Matters

Having the correct Alfresco version is key in many scenarios:

• Security and vulnerabilities – identify editions with known issues to upgrade/patch.
• Compatibility – determine compatibility with 3rd party modules, Share extensions, and other integrations.
• Features – check which version-specific APIs, actions, or UI options are available.
• Upgrades – plan proper upgrade path between versions.
• Documentation – ensure version matches official docs and requirements.

I recommend checking the installed version during initial setup, after any upgrades or patches, and whenever troubleshooting odd application behavior.

Key Takeaways

To wrap up, here are the key facts to remember:

• Share/Explorer popup and alfresco.log are the main options to check version.

• On clusters, check version individually on each node.

• Restarts, admin access, and checking multiple log entries can resolve issues.

• Know your version for security, compatibility, features, upgrades, and documentation.

I hope these tips provide a helpful starting point for any Alfresco admin or developer to keep their versions straight! Let me know if you have any other questions.