discourse/app/assets/javascripts/admin/models/version_check.js

/**
  Our data model for determining whether there's a new version of Discourse

  @class VersionCheck
  @extends Discourse.Model
  @namespace Discourse
  @module Discourse
**/
Discourse.VersionCheck = Discourse.Model.extend({
  upToDate: function() {
    return this.get('latest_version') === this.get('installed_version');
  }.property('latest_version', 'installed_version'),

  gitLink: function() {
    return "https://github.com/discourse/discourse/tree/" + this.get('installed_sha');
  }.property('installed_sha'),

  shortSha: function() {
    return this.get('installed_sha').substr(0,10);
  }.property('installed_sha')
});

Discourse.VersionCheck.reopenClass({
  find: function() {
    var promise = new RSVP.Promise();
    jQuery.ajax({
      url: '/admin/version_check',
      dataType: 'json',
      success: function(json) {
        promise.resolve(Discourse.VersionCheck.create(json));
      }
    });
    return promise;
  }
});