check is the everyday quality radar: packaging, entry points, dependencies, import hygiene. One report, clear next steps.
--extended (Pro) adds heavier signals: coverage for CI, complexity, security extras, SBOM/CVE. Use it when the fast pass is already stable.
check-lifecycle (Pro) is a separate source scan for leak patterns (threads, timers, loggers). It is not included in --extended.
Write JSON when you want an artifact for review or CI:
py -3.12 -m manifestguard check --report .manifestguard/report.json