diff --git a/satpy/tests/test_utils.py b/satpy/tests/test_utils.py
index 61255c8006..c52006f1be 100644
--- a/satpy/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/satpy/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -278,13 +278,38 @@ def test_specific_check_satpy(self):
         """Test 'check_satpy' with specific features provided."""
         from satpy.utils import check_satpy
         with mock.patch("satpy.utils.print") as print_mock:
-            check_satpy(readers=["viirs_sdr"], extras=("cartopy", "__fake"))
-            checked_fake = False
-            for call in print_mock.mock_calls:
-                if len(call[1]) > 0 and "__fake" in call[1][0]:
-                    assert "ok" not in call[1][1]
-                    checked_fake = True
-            assert checked_fake, "Did not find __fake module mentioned in checks"
+            check_satpy(readers=["viirs_sdr"], packages=("cartopy", "__fake"))
+            checked_fake = any("__fake: not installed" in c[1] for c in print_mock.mock_calls if len(c[1]))
+            assert checked_fake, "Did not find __fake package mentioned in checks"
+
+
+class TestShowVersions:
+    """Test the 'show_versions' function."""
+
+    def test_basic_show_versions(self):
+        """Test 'check_satpy' basic functionality."""
+        from satpy.utils import show_versions
+        show_versions()
+
+    def test_show_specific_version(self, capsys):
+        """Test 'show_version' works with installed package."""
+        from satpy.utils import show_versions
+        show_versions(packages=["pytest"])
+        out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
+
+        pytest_mentioned = "pytest:" in out
+        pytest_installed = "pytest: not installed" not in out
+        check_pytest = pytest_mentioned and pytest_installed
+        assert check_pytest, "pytest with package version not in print output"
+
+    def test_show_missing_specific_version(self, capsys):
+        """Test 'show_version' works with missing package."""
+        from satpy.utils import show_versions
+        show_versions(packages=["__fake"])
+        out, _ = capsys.readouterr()
+
+        check_fake = "__fake: not installed" in out
+        assert check_fake, "Did not find '__fake: not installed' in print output"
 
 
 def test_debug_on(caplog):
@@ -294,12 +319,7 @@ def test_debug_on(caplog):
     def depwarn():
         logger = logging.getLogger("satpy.silly")
         logger.debug("But now it's just got SILLY.")
-        warnings.warn(
-            "Stop that! It's SILLY.",
-            DeprecationWarning,
-            stacklevel=2
-        )
-
+        warnings.warn("Stop that! It's SILLY.", DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
     warnings.filterwarnings("ignore", category=DeprecationWarning)
     debug_on(False)
     filts_before = warnings.filters.copy()
diff --git a/satpy/utils.py b/satpy/utils.py
index 77645a476a..f4d456d4f6 100644
--- a/satpy/utils.py
+++ b/satpy/utils.py
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@
 
 import contextlib
 import datetime
+import importlib.metadata
 import logging
 import os
 import pathlib
+import platform
 import warnings
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from copy import deepcopy
@@ -476,30 +478,76 @@ def _check_yaml_configs(configs, key):
                         pass
     return diagnostic
 
+def _check_package_version(package_name: str) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Check the version of `package_name`.
 
-def _check_import(module_names):
-    """Import the specified modules and provide status."""
-    diagnostics = {}
-    for module_name in module_names:
-        try:
-            __import__(module_name)
-            res = "ok"
-        except ImportError as err:
-            res = str(err)
-        diagnostics[module_name] = res
-    return diagnostics
+    Args:
+        package_name (str): the distribution package name.
+
+    Returns:
+        the version number if available else `None`.
+    """
+    try:
+        return importlib.metadata.version(package_name)
+    except importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError:
+        return None
+
+
+def show_versions(packages=None):
+    """Shows version for system, python and common packages (if installed).
+
+    Args:
+        packages (list or None): Limit packages to those specified.
+
+    Returns:
+        None.
+
+    """
+    packages = (
+        (
+            "cartopy",
+            "geoviews",
+            "numpy",
+            "dask",
+            "xarray",
+            "gdal",
+            "rasterio",
+            "pyproj",
+            "netcdf4",
+            "h5py",
+            "pyhdf",
+            "h5netcdf",
+            "fsspec",
+        )
+        if packages is None
+        else packages
+    )
+
+    print("Versions")  # noqa: T201
+    print("======")  # noqa: T201
+    print(f"platform: {platform.platform()}")  # noqa: T201
+    print(f"python: {platform.python_version()}")  # noqa: T201
+    print()  # noqa: T201
+
+    for package_name in sorted(packages):
+        package_version = _check_package_version(package_name)
+        print( # noqa: T201
+            f"{package_name}: {package_version if package_version else 'not installed'}"
+        )
+
+    print()  # noqa: T201
 
 
-def check_satpy(readers=None, writers=None, extras=None):
+def check_satpy(readers=None, writers=None, packages=None):
     """Check the satpy readers and writers for correct installation.
 
     Args:
         readers (list or None): Limit readers checked to those specified
         writers (list or None): Limit writers checked to those specified
-        extras (list or None): Limit extras checked to those specified
+        packages (list or None): Limit packages checked to those specified
 
-    Returns: bool
-        True if all specified features were successfully loaded.
+    Returns:
+        None
 
     """
     from satpy.readers import configs_for_reader
@@ -517,12 +565,7 @@ def check_satpy(readers=None, writers=None, extras=None):
         print(writer + ": ", res)  # noqa: T201
     print()  # noqa: T201
 
-    print("Extras")  # noqa: T201
-    print("======")  # noqa: T201
-    module_names = extras if extras is not None else ("cartopy", "geoviews")
-    for module_name, res in sorted(_check_import(module_names).items()):
-        print(module_name + ": ", res)  # noqa: T201
-    print()  # noqa: T201
+    show_versions(packages=packages)
 
 
 def unify_chunks(*data_arrays: xr.DataArray) -> tuple[xr.DataArray, ...]: