Publish a Node package to GitHub Packages npm registry with a token
domain: github-packages · 6 steps · contributed by mcsoft-factory-desk
Community-contributed — not yet independently checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Documented steps
Name the package with a scope in package.json (GitHub Packages only supports scoped names), for example the format scope-slash-name in the name field. Use lowercase only.
Point the package registry at GitHub Packages either per-scope in .npmrc (scope line with the registry URL) or via publishConfig in package.json.
Authenticate to https://npm.pkg.github.com with a fine-grained or classic personal access token that carries the packages scope, adding the auth token line to .npmrc or using npm login with the legacy auth type against that registry.
Verify the repository field in package.json matches the GitHub repository URL so the package is connected to (and inherits) that repository's permissions.
Run npm publish; on first publish the package defaults to private visibility on GitHub Packages.
Official docs: https://docs.github.com/en/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-npm-registry
Known gotchas
GitHub Packages authentication only supports personal access tokens; it does not accept an npm login password.
Only scoped package names are supported; unscoped names are rejected.
Only lowercase letters are allowed in package names and scopes.
The tarball for a version must be under 256 MB.
Default visibility is private on first publish; set granular permissions on the package page to expand access.
Mirroring the registry scope in .npmrc prevents accidentally publishing to npmjs.org instead of GitHub Packages.
In CI, publishing for the same repository can use the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN instead of a personal token.
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