---
title: Quickstart for GitHub Packages
intro: 'Publish to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} with {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}.'
allowTitleToDifferFromFilename: true
versions:
  fpt: '*'
  ghes: '*'
  ghec: '*'
shortTitle: Quickstart
---

{% data reusables.actions.enterprise-github-hosted-runners %}

## Introduction

In this guide, you'll create a {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow to test your code and then publish it to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.

{% ifversion ghec %}

If you use a {% data variables.enterprise.prodname_managed_user %}, you cannot publish a package to a repository owned by your account. To follow this guide, use a personal account on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %} instead.

{% endif %}

## Publishing your package

1. Create a new repository on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, adding the `.gitignore` for Node. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/repositories/creating-and-managing-repositories/creating-a-new-repository).
1. Clone the repository to your local machine.

    ```shell
    git clone https://{% ifversion ghes %}YOUR-HOSTNAME{% else %}github.com{% endif %}/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY.git
    cd YOUR-REPOSITORY
    ```

1. Create an `index.js` file and add a basic alert to say "Hello world!"

    ```javascript copy
    console.log("Hello, World!");
    ```

1. Initialize an npm package with `npm init`. In the package initialization wizard, enter your package with the name: _`@YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY`_, and set the test script to `exit 0`. This will generate a `package.json` file with information about your package.

    ```shell
    $ npm init
      ...
      package name: @YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY
      ...
      test command: exit 0
      ...
    ```

1. Run `npm install` to generate the `package-lock.json` file, then commit and push your changes to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}.

    ```shell
    npm install
    git add index.js package.json package-lock.json
    git commit -m "initialize npm package"
    git push
    ```

1. Create a `.github/workflows` directory. In that directory, create a file named `release-package.yml`.
1. Copy the following YAML content into the `release-package.yml` file{% ifversion ghes %}, replacing `YOUR-HOSTNAME` with the name of your enterprise{% endif %}.

    ```yaml copy
    name: Node.js Package

    on:
      release:
        types: [created]

    jobs:
      build:
        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
        steps:
          - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
          - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %}
            with:
              node-version: 20
          - run: npm ci
          - run: npm test

      publish-gpr:
        needs: build
        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
        permissions:
          packages: write
          contents: read
        steps:
          - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
          - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %}
            with:
              node-version: 20
              registry-url: {% ifversion ghes %}https://npm.YOUR-HOSTNAME.com/{% else %}https://npm.pkg.github.com/{% endif %}
          - run: npm ci
          - run: npm publish
            env:
              NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${% raw %}{{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}{% endraw %}
    ```

1. Tell npm which scope and registry to publish packages to using one of the following methods:
   * Add an npm configuration file for the repository by creating a `.npmrc` file in the root directory with the contents:

      ```shell
      @YOUR-USERNAME:registry=https://npm.pkg.github.com
      ```

   * Edit the `package.json` file and specify the `publishConfig` key:

      ```shell
      "publishConfig": {
        "@YOUR-USERNAME:registry": "https://npm.pkg.github.com"
      }
      ```

1. Commit and push your changes to {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}.

    ```shell
    $ git add .github/workflows/release-package.yml
    # Also add the file you created or edited in the previous step.
    $ git add .npmrc or package.json
    $ git commit -m "workflow to publish package"
    $ git push
    ```

1. The workflow that you created will run whenever a new release is created in your repository. If the tests pass, then the package will be published to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.

    To test this out, navigate to the **Code** tab in your repository and create a new release. For more information, see [Managing releases in a repository](/github/administering-a-repository/managing-releases-in-a-repository#creating-a-release).

## Viewing your published package

You can view all of the packages you have published.

{% data reusables.repositories.navigate-to-repo %}
{% data reusables.package_registry.packages-from-code-tab %}
{% data reusables.package_registry.navigate-to-packages %}

## Installing a published package

Now that you've published the package, you'll want to use it as a dependency across your projects. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-npm-registry#installing-a-package).

## Next steps

The basic workflow you just added runs any time a new release is created in your repository. But this is only the beginning of what you can do with {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}. You can publish your package to multiple registries with a single workflow, trigger the workflow to run on different events such as a merged pull request, manage containers, and more.

Combining {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} can help you automate nearly every aspect of your application development processes. Ready to get started? Here are some helpful resources for taking your next steps with {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}:

* [AUTOTITLE](/packages/learn-github-packages) for an in-depth tutorial on GitHub Packages
* [AUTOTITLE](/actions/learn-github-actions) for an in-depth tutorial on GitHub Actions
* [AUTOTITLE](/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry) for specific uses cases and examples