meta-version-managers.md

Meta Version Manager Comparison

Meta version managers are generic enough to support multiple languages, unlike "regular" version managers.

Note that systems like Nix and Guix are intentionally omitted. They are different systems entirely.

Support Matrix

Name	GitHub Stars	Language	Method	Uses .tool-versions
asdf	17,000+	Bash	Shim	✅
sdkman	5,000+	Bash,Groovy	Shim	❌
mise	2,000+	Rust	PATH	✅
Hermit	500+	Go,HCL	❔	❌
aqua	300+	Go	❔	❌
proto	445+	Rust	?	❌
Woof	21+	Bash,jq	PATH	✅

Supported Interfaces

Name	CLI	TUI	GUI
asdf	✅	❌	❌
sdkman	✅	❌	❌
mise	✅	❔	❌
Hermit	✅	❌	❌
aqua	✅	✅	❌
proto	✅	❔	❔
Woof	✅	✅	❌

Custom

sdkman

• Uses .sdkmanrc

mise

• Uses .mise.toml

proto

It checks in order:

• CLI argument
• PROTO_*_VERSION environment variable
• .prototools (local)
• version manager configs (e.g. .nvmrc) & manifest files (e.g. package.json)
• ~/.proto/.prototools (global)