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Updatecli

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hostedWindows

What Updatecli is

Updatecli automates file updates through YAML manifests. A pipeline retrieves values from sources, checks conditions, then updates targets; targets are skipped when a required condition is not met. It can create pull or merge requests, while autodiscovery scans repositories and generates manifests for supported ecosystems such as Dockerfiles, Helm, Terraform, npm, and Go. Plugins cover sources, conditions, targets, source-control systems, and actions, including integrations with GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, Jenkins, Docker, Maven, and HTTP APIs. The GitHub SCM plugin can clone repositories and push changes to a working branch, but opening a pull request requires a separate action. Manifests can be packaged as OCI artifacts for reuse across repositories. Updatecli is an Apache-2.0 open-source project with a free plan listed as free. It runs as a statically linked binary without runtime dependencies, a server, or a database, and supports Linux, macOS, Windows, containers, and self-hosting. Udash reporting is experimental, requires the --experimental flag, and may change without the usual deprecation cycle.

Who it suits

Updatecli suits teams automating dependency or file updates across repositories, locally or in CI. Its manifests and plugins may also suit teams that want reusable policies and integrations with source-control and build tools.

What it does well

Free Apache-2.0 open-source plan.
Runs without a runtime dependency, server, or database.
Autodiscovery supports Dockerfiles, Helm, Terraform, npm, and Go.
Manifest policies can be reused as OCI artifacts.

What to know first

Opening GitHub pull requests requires a separate action.
Udash reporting is experimental and requires the --experimental flag.
Udash may change without the usual deprecation cycle.

Limits

The Open source plan is free and lists a single binary that runs locally or in CI. Udash reporting requires the --experimental flag, and its API and interface may change without the usual deprecation cycle.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Open source	Apache-2.0 licensed · single binary · runs locally or in CI	Free

As updatecli.io lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit https://www.updatecli.io/.
Choose a release build for Linux, macOS, or Windows, or use a container image.
Run Updatecli locally or in CI.
Create YAML manifests with source, condition, and target stages.
For GitHub changes, configure the SCM plugin to push to a working branch and use a separate pull-request action if needed.
Use environment variables or a secret management tool for GitHub credentials instead of embedding tokens in manifests.

Verdict

Updatecli provides a manifest-driven update workflow with condition checks, repository discovery, and broad plugin coverage. Teams using its GitHub SCM plugin should account for the separate pull-request action, and treat Udash as experimental.

Questions

Is Updatecli free?

Yes. The Open source plan is listed as free.

Is Updatecli open source?

Yes. The project is licensed under Apache-2.0.

Which operating systems does Updatecli support?

Project releases provide builds for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Container images are also available.

Does Updatecli need a server or database?

No. It is a statically linked binary with no runtime dependency, server, or database requirement.

Can Updatecli open GitHub pull requests?

The GitHub SCM plugin can clone repositories and push changes to a working branch. Opening a pull request requires a separate GitHub pull-request action.

What is Udash?

Udash is an experimental dashboard for reports published by Updatecli pipelines. It requires the --experimental flag, and its API and interface may change without the usual deprecation cycle.

Facts from Updatecli's own pages

Autodiscovery: It can scan repositories and generate manifests for Helm charts, Dockerfiles, go.mod, GitHub Actions workflows, Terraform providers, and other ecosystems. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Credential handling: The GitHub plugin recommends using environment variables or secret management tools instead of hardcoding tokens in manifests. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Execution: Updatecli is a single statically linked binary with no runtime dependency, server, or database requirement. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Experimental feature: Udash is described as an experimental dashboard for reports published by Updatecli pipelines. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Experimental feature limit: Udash reporting is experimental and requires the --experimental flag; its API and interface may change without the usual deprecation cycle. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
GitHub workflow: The GitHub SCM plugin clones repositories and can push changes on a working branch; a separate GitHub pull-request action is needed to open a pull request. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
How it runs: It is a single statically linked binary with no runtime dependency, server, or database requirement. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
Integrations: Its plugin catalog includes integrations for GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, Docker, Helm, Maven, npm, PyPI, Terraform, and more. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
License: The project describes Updatecli as open source and Apache-2.0 licensed. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
Policies: Manifests can be packaged as OCI artifacts and reused across repositories. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Purpose: Updatecli uses YAML manifests to fetch values, check conditions, update files, and open pull or merge requests. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Security: The project asks users to report vulnerabilities privately through a GitHub security advisory or email. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Support: Community support is free, and commercial services include guaranteed response times, custom development or integration, migration assistance, training, and ongoing support contracts. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Supported systems: Project releases provide builds for Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as container images. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026
Telemetry: OpenTelemetry distributed tracing is opt-in, disabled by default, and configured through standard environment variables. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
Update checks: Conditions can check whether requirements hold before targets are updated, and targets are skipped when a condition is not met. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
What it does: Updatecli reads YAML manifests, retrieves values, checks conditions, updates files, and can create pull or merge requests. · updatecli.io, 3 Oct 2026
Workflow: Each pipeline runs source, condition, and target stages in that order. · updatecli.io, 4 Oct 2026

Where Updatecli stands on Freedom251

Dependency Management Software#15 of 27