diff --git a/gromacs/src/colvarproxy_gromacs_version.h b/gromacs/src/colvarproxy_gromacs_version.h
index cfeeca7cd..1c1621767 100644
--- a/gromacs/src/colvarproxy_gromacs_version.h
+++ b/gromacs/src/colvarproxy_gromacs_version.h
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #ifndef COLVARPROXY_VERSION
-#define COLVARPROXY_VERSION "2025-05-12"
+#define COLVARPROXY_VERSION "2025-03-31"
 #endif
diff --git a/vmd/cv_dashboard/VERSION b/vmd/cv_dashboard/VERSION
index 6c5528047..f647631d8 100644
--- a/vmd/cv_dashboard/VERSION
+++ b/vmd/cv_dashboard/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2025-05-12
+2025-05-24
diff --git a/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard.tcl b/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard.tcl
index 01d5be788..e990a2244 100644
--- a/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard.tcl
+++ b/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard.tcl
@@ -26,12 +26,8 @@
 # - index group builder
 
 set dir [file dirname [info script]]
-set version_file [open "${dir}/VERSION"]
-gets $version_file CV_DASHBOARD_VERSION
-close $version_file
-# Convert to Tcl-style package version number
-set CV_DASHBOARD_TCL_VERSION [string map { "-" "." } $CV_DASHBOARD_VERSION]
-package provide cv_dashboard $CV_DASHBOARD_TCL_VERSION
+set VERSION [::cv_dashboard::read_version $dir]
+package provide cv_dashboard $VERSION
 
 namespace eval ::cv_dashboard {
   # General UI state
diff --git a/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard_update.tcl b/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard_update.tcl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c9c242689
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vmd/cv_dashboard/cv_dashboard_update.tcl
@@ -0,0 +1,316 @@
+####################################
+# Self-update utilities
+
+namespace eval ::cv_dashboard {
+  variable repo_user "Colvars"
+  variable repo_name "colvars"
+  variable branch "dashboard_update"
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::check_version_file {} {
+  variable version
+  variable repo_user
+  variable repo_name
+  variable branch
+
+  # Download VERSION file from repo
+  set version_url "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/$repo_user/$repo_name/$branch/vmd/cv_dashboard/VERSION"
+  set temp_dir [get_local_dir]
+  file mkdir $temp_dir
+  set temp_file [file join $temp_dir "remote_version.txt"]
+
+  if {[catch {exec curl -L -s -o $temp_file $version_url}] &&
+      [catch {exec wget -O $temp_file $version_url}]} {
+    puts "exec curl -L -s -o $temp_file $version_url"
+    puts "exec wget -q -O $temp_file $version_url"
+    error "Could not check version file"
+  }
+
+  set fp [open $temp_file r]
+  set remote_version [string map { "-" "." } [string trim [read $fp]]]
+  close $fp
+  file delete $temp_file
+
+  set comparison [compare_versions $version $remote_version]
+  return [list $comparison $remote_version]
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::compare_versions {current latest} {
+  # Versioned by date: e.g. 2025-05-21
+  set current_parts [split $current "."]
+  set latest_parts [split $latest "."]
+
+  # Pad with zeros if needed
+  while {[llength $current_parts] < 3} {lappend current_parts 0}
+  while {[llength $latest_parts] < 3} {lappend latest_parts 0}
+
+  for {set i 0} {$i < 3} {incr i} {
+    set curr [lindex $current_parts $i]
+    set lat [lindex $latest_parts $i]
+
+    if {$lat > $curr} {
+      return "outdated"
+    } elseif {$lat < $curr} {
+      return "newer"
+    }
+  }
+  return "current"
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::download_github_directory {user repo directory {branch "main"} {destdir "."}} {
+  set url "https://github.com/$user/$repo/archive/refs/heads/$branch.zip"
+  set archive "[file join $destdir $repo.zip]"
+  set temp_dir "[file join $destdir temp_$repo]"
+
+  file mkdir $destdir
+  file mkdir $temp_dir
+
+  puts "Downloading $url"
+  # Download full repo as ZIP
+  set downloaded 0
+  if {![catch {exec curl -L -s -o $archive $url}]} {
+    set downloaded 1
+  } elseif {![catch {exec wget -q -O $archive $url}]} {
+    set downloaded 1
+  } elseif {$::tcl_platform(platform) eq "windows" &&
+          ![catch {exec powershell -command "Invoke-WebRequest -Uri '$url' -OutFile '$archive'" 2>nul}]} {
+    set downloaded 1
+  }
+
+  if {!$downloaded} {
+    error "Failed to download the repository archive."
+  }
+
+  # Extract to temp directory
+  set extracted 0
+
+  puts "Extracting archive..."
+  if {![catch {exec unzip -q $archive -d $temp_dir}]} {
+    set extracted 1
+  } elseif {$::tcl_platform(platform) eq "windows"} {
+    set ps_extract_script {
+      Add-Type -AssemblyName System.IO.Compression.FileSystem
+      [System.IO.Compression.ZipFile]::ExtractToDirectory('%ARCHIVE%', '%DEST%')
+    }
+    set ps_script [string map [list %ARCHIVE% $archive %DEST% $temp_dir] $ps_extract_script]
+    if {![catch {exec powershell -NoProfile -Command $ps_script}]} {
+      set extracted 1
+    }
+  }
+
+  if {!$extracted} {
+    error "Failed to extract ZIP archive."
+  }
+  file delete $archive
+
+  # Move specific directory to destination
+  set extracted_repo "[file join $temp_dir $repo-$branch]"
+  set source_dir "[file join $extracted_repo $directory]"
+  set dest_dir "[file join $destdir [file tail $directory]]"
+
+  if {![file exists $source_dir]} {
+    file delete -force $temp_dir
+    error "Directory '$directory' not found in repository"
+  }
+
+  file rename $source_dir $dest_dir
+  file delete -force $temp_dir
+
+  puts "Directory downloaded to: $dest_dir"
+  return $dest_dir
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::download_github_directory_git {user repo directory {branch "main"} {destdir "."}} {
+  set repo_url "https://github.com/$user/$repo.git"
+  set clone_dir "[file join $destdir $repo-sparse]"
+
+  file mkdir $destdir
+  # Check if git is available
+  if {[catch {exec git --version 2>/dev/null}]} {
+    error "Git not available - use download_github_directory instead"
+  }
+
+  # Clone with no checkout
+  exec git clone --no-checkout --depth 1 --branch $branch $repo_url $clone_dir 2>@1
+
+  # Set up sparse checkout
+  set git_dir [file join $clone_dir ".git"]
+  exec git --git-dir=$git_dir --work-tree=$clone_dir config core.sparseCheckout true
+
+  # Specify directory to checkout
+  set sparse_file [file join $clone_dir ".git" "info" "sparse-checkout"]
+  set fp [open $sparse_file w]
+  puts $fp "$directory/*"
+  close $fp
+
+  # Checkout only the specified directory
+  exec git --git-dir=$git_dir --work-tree=$clone_dir checkout 2>@1
+
+  # Move the directory to final location
+  set source_dir "[file join $clone_dir $directory]"
+  set dest_dir "[file join $destdir [file tail $directory]]"
+
+  if {![file exists $source_dir]} {
+    file delete -force $clone_dir
+    error "Directory '$directory' not found in repository"
+  }
+
+  file rename $source_dir $dest_dir
+  file delete -force $clone_dir
+
+  puts "Directory downloaded to: $dest_dir"
+  return $dest_dir
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::download_directory_smart {user repo directory {branch "main"} {destdir "."}} {
+  # Try git sparse-checkout first (most efficient)
+  if {![catch {exec git --version 2>/dev/null}]} {
+    puts "Using git sparse-checkout..."
+    return [download_github_directory_git $user $repo $directory $branch $destdir]
+  } else {
+    puts "Git not available, downloading full repository..."
+    return [download_github_directory $user $repo $directory $branch $destdir]
+  }
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::self_update {{force false}} {
+  variable version
+  variable repo_user
+  variable repo_name
+  variable branch
+
+  # Check for updates
+  if {!$force} {
+    lassign [::cv_dashboard::check_version_file] status latest_version
+    if {$status eq "current"} {
+      puts "Local cv_dashboard ($version) is up to date"
+      return false
+    } elseif {$status eq "newer"} {
+      puts "Local cv_dashboard ($version) is newer than remote ($latest_version)"
+      return false
+    }
+    puts "cv_dashboard update available: $version -> $latest_version"
+  }
+
+  set package_dir [get_local_dir]
+  set backup_dir "${package_dir}.backup.[clock seconds]"
+
+  # Create backup
+  if {[file exists $package_dir]} {
+    file copy $package_dir $backup_dir
+  }
+
+  try {
+    # Download new version
+    puts "Downloading update..."
+    set temp_dir [file join [file dirname $package_dir] "temp_update"]
+    download_directory_smart $repo_user $repo_name "vmd/cv_dashboard" $branch $temp_dir
+
+    # Replace current installation
+    file delete -force $package_dir
+    file rename $temp_dir $package_dir
+
+    puts "Update completed successfully"
+    if {[file exists $backup_dir]} {
+      puts "Backup available at: $backup_dir"
+    }
+    cleanup_backups $package_dir
+    return true
+
+  } on error {err} {
+    puts "Update failed: $err"
+
+    if {[file exists $backup_dir]} {
+      puts "Restoring from backup..."
+      if {[file exists $package_dir]} {
+        file delete -force $package_dir
+      }
+      file rename $backup_dir $package_dir
+    }
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::get_local_dir {} {
+  set dirname "colvars"
+  switch $::tcl_platform(platform) {
+    "windows" {
+      set base [expr {[info exists ::env(LOCALAPPDATA)] ? $::env(LOCALAPPDATA) : $::env(USERPROFILE)}]
+      return [file join $base $dirname]
+    }
+    "unix" {
+      set home $::env(HOME)
+      if {$::tcl_platform(os) eq "Darwin"} {
+        return [file join $home "Library" "Application Support" $dirname]
+      } else {
+        return [file join $home ".local" "share" $dirname]
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::cleanup_backups { package_dir {keep 2}} {
+  set parent_dir [file dirname $package_dir]
+  set package_name [file tail $package_dir]
+
+  # Find backup directories
+  set backups {}
+  foreach item [glob -nocomplain -directory $parent_dir "${package_name}.backup.*"] {
+    if {[file isdirectory $item]} {
+      lappend backups $item
+    }
+  }
+
+  # Sort by timestamp and remove old ones
+  set backups [lsort $backups]
+  set to_remove [lrange $backups 0 end-$keep]
+
+  foreach backup $to_remove {
+    puts "Removing old backup: $backup"
+    file delete -force $backup
+  }
+}
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::read_version { path } {
+  set version_file [open [file join $path VERSION]]
+  gets $version_file git_date
+  set version [string map { "-" "." } $git_date]
+  close $version_file
+  return $version
+}
+
+# Next functions are inspired by vmdprefs, but less invasive - reuse existing line, or append to .vmdrc
+
+proc ::cv_dashboard::vmdrc {} {
+  set rcPath $env(HOME)
+
+  # determine what system-specific filename to look for
+  switch [vmdinfo arch] {
+    WIN64 -
+    WIN32 { set vmdrcFileName vmd.rc }
+    default { set vmdrcFileName .vmdrc }
+  }
+
+  # make sure that we have write permission to rcPath (defaults to env(HOME))
+  if { ![file exists $rcPath] || ![file writable $rcPath] } {
+    puts "Cannot write VMDRC to the target directory:\n\n$rcPath\n\nMake sure that this folder exists and user has write permission."
+    return -1
+  }
+  return [file join $rcPath $vmdrcFileName]
+}
+
+
+# Mission: write self-update flag
+proc ::cv_dashboard::write_vmdrc {} {
+  set path [vmdrc]
+  if { $path == -1 } { return }
+
+  set flag $::cv_dashboard::self_update
+
+  if { [file exists $path] } {
+    # edit or append
+
+  } else {
+    # write new file
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vmd/cv_dashboard/pkgIndex.tcl b/vmd/cv_dashboard/pkgIndex.tcl
index d546adde1..26d034879 100644
--- a/vmd/cv_dashboard/pkgIndex.tcl
+++ b/vmd/cv_dashboard/pkgIndex.tcl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# Tcl package index file, version 1.1
+# Tcl package index file
 
-# This file is generated manually
+# This file is generated *manually*
 # and sourced either when an application starts up or
 # by a "package unknown" script.  It invokes the
 # "package ifneeded" command to set up package-related
@@ -9,11 +9,36 @@
 # script is sourced, the variable $dir must contain the
 # full path name of this file's directory.
 
-set dir [file dirname [info script]]
-set version_file [open "${dir}/VERSION"]
-gets $version_file CV_DASHBOARD_VERSION
-close $version_file
-# Convert to Tcl-style package version number
-set CV_DASHBOARD_TCL_VERSION [string map { "-" "." } $CV_DASHBOARD_VERSION]
+proc init {} {
+  set dir [file dirname [info script]]
+  source [file join $dir cv_dashboard_update.tcl]
+  set VERSION [::cv_dashboard::read_version $dir]
+  set ::cv_dashboard::version $VERSION
 
-package ifneeded cv_dashboard $CV_DASHBOARD_TCL_VERSION "set env(CV_DASHBOARD_DIR) [list $dir]; [list source [file join $dir cv_dashboard.tcl]]"
+  # Compare with version with local package
+  set local_dir [file join [::cv_dashboard::get_local_dir] "cv_dashboard"]
+
+  if { $local_dir ne [file dirname $dir] && [file exists $local_dir]} {
+    # There is a local package separate from this instance
+    # Compare versions
+    set LOCAL_VERSION [::cv_dashboard::read_version $local_dir]
+
+    if { [string compare $LOCAL_VERSION $VERSION] > 0 } {
+      puts "Overriding current version ($VERSION) with local installation of cv_dashboard from $local_dir ($LOCAL_VERSION)"
+      source [file join $local_dir pkgIndex.tcl]
+      return
+    }
+  }
+
+  # Now try to update local package from remote repository
+  if [::cv_dashboard::self_update] {
+    # Reload if necessary
+    source [file join $local_dir pkgIndex.tcl]
+    return
+  }
+
+  # Finish initializing this version
+  package ifneeded cv_dashboard $VERSION "set env(CV_DASHBOARD_DIR) [list $dir]; [list source [file join $dir cv_dashboard.tcl]]"
+}
+
+init