---
name: "npm-publish"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "npm"
version: "9.2.0~ds1-3"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/npm-publish"
---

# npm-publish(1)

## NAME

**npm-publish**

## Synopsis

\<!-- AUTOGENERATED USAGE DESCRIPTIONS --\>

## Description

Publishes a package to the registry so that it can be installed by name.

By default npm will publish to the public registry. This can be\
 overridden by specifying a different default registry or using a\
 **scope** in the name, combined with a\
 scope-configured registry (see\
 **package.json**).

A **package** is interpreted the same way as other commands (like\
 **npm install** and can be:

- •

  a) a folder containing a program described by a\
   **package.json** file

- •

  b) a gzipped tarball containing (a)

- •

  c) a url that resolves to (b)

- •

  d) a **\<name\>@\<version\>** that is published on the registry (see\
   **registry**) with (c)

- •

  e) a **\<name\>@\<tag\>** (see **npm dist-tag**) that\
   points to (d)

- •

  f) a **\<name\>** that has a "latest" tag satisfying (e)

- •

  g) a **\<git remote url\>** that resolves to (a)

The publish will fail if the package name and version combination already\
 exists in the specified registry.

Once a package is published with a given name and version, that specific\
 name and version combination can never be used again, even if it is removed\
 with **npm unpublish**.

As of **npm@5**, both a sha1sum and an integrity field with a sha512sum of the\
 tarball will be submitted to the registry during publication. Subsequent\
 installs will use the strongest supported algorithm to verify downloads.

Similar to **--dry-run** see **npm pack**, which figures\
 out the files to be included and packs them into a tarball to be uploaded\
 to the registry.

## Files included in package

To see what will be included in your package, run **npx npm-packlist**.  All\
 files are included by default, with the following exceptions:

- •

  Certain files that are relevant to package installation and distribution\
   are always included.  For example, **package.json**, **README.md**,\
   **LICENSE**, and so on.

- •

  If there is a "files" list in\
   **package.json**, then only the files\
   specified will be included.  (If directories are specified, then they\
   will be walked recursively and their contents included, subject to the\
   same ignore rules.)

- •

  If there is a **.gitignore** or **.npmignore** file, then ignored files in\
   that and all child directories will be excluded from the package.  If\
   *both* files exist, then the **.gitignore** is ignored, and only the\
   **.npmignore** is used.

**.npmignore** files follow the same pattern\
 rules\
 as **.gitignore** files

- •

  If the file matches certain patterns, then it will *never* be included,\
   unless explicitly added to the **&quot;files&quot;** list in **package.json**, or\
   un-ignored with a **!** rule in a **.npmignore** or **.gitignore** file.

- •

  Symbolic links are never included in npm packages.

See **developers** for full details on what's\
 included in the published package, as well as details on how the package is\
 built.

## Configuration

\<!-- AUTOGENERATED CONFIG DESCRIPTIONS --\>

## See Also

- •

  package spec

- •

  npm-packlist package

- •

  npm registry

- •

  npm scope

- •

  npm adduser

- •

  npm owner

- •

  npm deprecate

- •

  npm dist-tag

- •

  npm pack

- •

  npm profile