---
title: Quickstart for GitHub Packages
intro: 'Publish to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} with {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}.'
allowTitleToDifferFromFilename: true
versions:
fpt: '*'
ghes: '*'
ghae: '*'
shortTitle: Quickstart
---
{% data reusables.actions.enterprise-github-hosted-runners %}
{% data reusables.actions.ae-beta %}
{% data reusables.actions.ae-self-hosted-runners-notice %}
## 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 %}.
## Publishing your package
1. Create a new repository on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}, adding the `.gitignore` for Node. {% ifversion ghes < 3.1 %} Create a private repository if you’d like to delete this package later, public packages cannot be deleted.{% endif %} For more information, see "[Creating a new repository](/github/creating-cloning-and-archiving-repositories/creating-a-new-repository)."
2. Clone the repository to your local machine.
```shell
$ git clone https://{% ifversion ghae %}YOUR-HOSTNAME{% else %}github.com{% endif %}/YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY.git
$ cd YOUR-REPOSITORY
```
3. Create an `index.js` file and add a basic alert to say "Hello world!"
{% raw %}
```javascript{:copy}
alert("Hello, World!");
```
{% endraw %}
4. 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.
{% raw %}
```shell
$ npm init
...
package name: @YOUR-USERNAME/YOUR-REPOSITORY
...
test command: exit 0
...
```
{% endraw %}
5. 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
```
6. Create a `.github/workflows` directory. In that directory, create a file named `release-package.yml`.
7. Copy the following YAML content into the `release-package.yml` file{% ifversion ghae %}, 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: actions/checkout@v2
- uses: actions/setup-node@v2
with:
node-version: 12
- run: npm ci
- run: npm test
publish-gpr:
needs: build
runs-on: ubuntu-latest{% ifversion fpt or ghes > 3.1 or ghae-next %}
permissions:
packages: write
contents: read{% endif %}
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v2
- uses: actions/setup-node@v2
with:
node-version: 12
registry-url: {% ifversion ghae %}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 %}
```
8. 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:
{% raw %}
```shell
@YOUR-USERNAME:registry=https://npm.pkg.github.com
```
{% endraw %}
- Edit the `package.json` file and specify the `publishConfig` key:
{% raw %}
```shell
"publishConfig": {
"@YOUR-USERNAME:registry": "https://npm.pkg.github.com"
}
```
{% endraw %}
9. 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
```
10. 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 "[Working with the npm registry](/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 %}:
- "[Learn {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}](/packages/learn-github-packages)" for an in-depth tutorial on GitHub Packages
- "[Learn {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}](/actions/learn-github-actions)" for an in-depth tutorial on GitHub Actions
- "[Working with a {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} registry](/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry)" for specific uses cases and examples