Improve docs around ipfs update

[nothingismagick]

SOLUTION (Worked for me this time)

$ go get -u github.com/ipfs/ipfs-update
$ ipfs update versions
$ ipfs update install v0.4.14
# or
$ go get -u github.com/ipfs/ipfs-update
$ ipfs update install latest

Caveat:

I know that this is really an issue for ipfs-update (will post there too)

Background:

I want to update go-ipfs from ipfs version 0.4.14-rc3 to ipfs version 0.4.14 (but actually I don't care just want latest) and there is a command listed under ipfs --help that says:

ipfs update --help

ipfs-update is an 'external' command.
It does not currently appear to be installed.
Please refer to the ipfs documentation for instructions.

Which ipfs documentation? The fastest way was to duckduckgo search for ipfs update, choose the github repo, parse the README, copy, paste, execute go get, run ipfs update, it shows me its internal version (1.5.3 but really I don't care), no - I have to run it twice more, ipfs update versions, read the list for the latest one, now ipfs update install v0.4.14.

The relevant question here is: Why is it an external command (and a non-installed one at that) if it is listed as a tool in the CLI ipfs --help?

[nothingismagick]

@victorbjelkholm wrote:

A possible flow would be to run ipfs update without any additional flags/arguments would check for a new version but not install it. Running ipfs upgrade would upgrade to the latest version found.

My current workaround for this command (for embedding in shell scripts etc.) is:

$ ipfs update install $(ipfs update versions | sed '$!d')

[Kubuxu]

Could you rename the issue to: "Improve docs around ipfs update".

[nothingismagick]

@Kubuxu - I changed it, but it is also an issue about expected behaviour within the CLI. Adding a new command to the cli (ipfs upgrade) is more than a mere documentation issue.

[Kubuxu]

I think it might be good for ipfs update to install the newest version after user confirmation.

[djdv]

Something like

v0.0.1 is installed, v0.0.2 is available. Upgrade? [y/N]

or if already up to date

v0.0.2 already up to date

[nothingismagick]

By the way, the doc over at https://ipfs.io/docs/install/ says this:

Upgrading using ipfs-update
ipfs-update install will download and run fs-repo-migrations when needed, during the installation of a newer or older ipfs version (as explained above). This is the easiest way of upgrading.

Not exactly correct... or better said somewhat confusing. Maybe it is the name... Why would an update be a downgrade? Wouldn't the class of actions here be more like ipfs source?

Then we would have things like:

ipfs source upgrade
ipfs source install v0.4.9
ipfs source install latest

Semantically that seems to make more sense to me...

[aschmahmann]

Downloading ipfs-update is now documented if you type ipfs update or ipfs update --help