Add util function get_strict_version (#1686) (#2099)

The utility function `aiida.get_strict_version` will return a StrictVersion
instance from `distutils.version` with the current version of the package.

aiida/__init__.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # For further information please visit http://www.aiida.net               #
 ###########################################################################
 import warnings
+
 from aiida.common.log import configure_logging
 from aiida.common.setup import get_property
 
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
     # in Python 2.7 it is suppressed by default
     warnings.simplefilter('default', DeprecationWarning)
 
+
 def try_load_dbenv(*argc, **argv):
     """
     Run `load_dbenv` unless the dbenv has already been loaded.
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ def try_load_dbenv(*argc, **argv):
         return True
     return False
 
+
 def load_dbenv(*argc, **argv):
     """
     Alias for `load_dbenv` from `aiida.backends.utils`
@@ -51,9 +54,21 @@ def is_dbenv_loaded(*argc, **argv):
     return is_dbenv_loaded(*argc, **argv)
 
 
+def get_strict_version():
+    """
+    Return a distutils StrictVersion instance with the current distribution version
+
+    :returns: StrictVersion instance with the current version
+    """
+    from distutils.version import StrictVersion
+    return StrictVersion(__version__)
+
+
 def get_version():
     """
-    Very simple function to get a string with the version number.
+    Return the current distribution version
+
+    :returns: a string with the current version
     """
     return __version__
 
@@ -70,6 +85,7 @@ def _get_raw_file_header():
 {}
 """.format(__version__, __paper__)
 
+
 def get_file_header(comment_char="# "):
     """
     Get a string to be put as header of files created with AiiDA;
@@ -79,4 +95,4 @@ def get_file_header(comment_char="# "):
     :return: a (multiline) string
     """
     lines = _get_raw_file_header().splitlines()
-    return "\n".join("{}{}".format(comment_char, line) for line in lines)
+    return '\n'.join('{}{}'.format(comment_char, line) for line in lines)