docs/content/packages/learn-github-packages/about-github-packages.md

title, intro, product, redirect_from, versions

title	intro	product	redirect_from	versions
About GitHub Packages	{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} is a software package hosting service that allows you to host your software packages privately or publicly and use packages as dependencies in your projects.	{% data reusables.gated-features.packages %}	/articles/about-github-package-registry /github/managing-packages-with-github-package-registry/about-github-package-registry /github/managing-packages-with-github-packages/about-github-packages /packages/publishing-and-managing-packages/about-github-packages	free-pro-team enterprise-server * >=2.22

{% data reusables.package_registry.packages-ghes-release-stage %}

About {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}

{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} is a platform for hosting and managing packages, including containers and other dependencies. {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} combines your source code and packages in one place to provide integrated permissions management and billing, so you can centralize your software development on {% data variables.product.product_name %}.

You can integrate {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} with {% data variables.product.product_name %} APIs, {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}, and webhooks to create an end-to-end DevOps workflow that includes your code, CI, and deployment solutions.

{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} offers different package registries for commonly used packages, such as for Node, RubyGems, Apache Maven, Gradle, and Nuget.

{% if currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@2.21" %}

{% endif %}

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} also offers a {% data variables.product.prodname_container_registry %} designed to support the unique needs of container images. For more information, see "About {% data variables.product.prodname_github_container_registry %}."

{% data reusables.package_registry.container-registry-beta %}

{% endif %}

Viewing packages

You can review the package's README, some metadata like licensing, download statistics, version history, and more on {% data variables.product.product_name %}. For more information, see "Viewing packages."

About package permissions and visibility

	Package registries
Hosting locations	You can host multiple packages in one repository.
Permissions	Each package inherits the permissions of the repository where the package is hosted. For example, anyone with read permissions for a repository can install a package as a dependency in a project, and anyone with write permissions can publish a new package version.
Visibility	{% data reusables.package_registry.public-or-private-packages %}

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %}

About billing for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}

{% data reusables.package_registry.packages-billing %} {% data reusables.package_registry.packages-spending-limit-brief %} For more information, see "About billing for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}."

{% data reusables.package_registry.container-registry-beta-billing-note %} {% endif %}

Supported clients and formats

{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} uses the native package tooling commands you're already familiar with to publish and install package versions.

Support for package registries

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} Package registries use PACKAGE-TYPE.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME as the package host URL, replacing PACKAGE-TYPE with the Package namespace. For example, your Gemfile will be hosted at rubygems.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME.

{% else %}

The package types supported on {% data variables.product.product_location %} may vary since your site administrator can enable or disable support for different package types. For more information, see "Managing GitHub Packages for your enterprise."

If {% data variables.product.product_location %} has subdomain isolation enabled, then package registries will use PACKAGE-TYPE.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME as the package host URL, replacing PACKAGE-TYPE with the Package namespace. For example, your Dockerfile will be hosted at docker.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME.

If {% data variables.product.product_location %} has subdomain isolation disabled, then package registries will use HOSTNAME/_registry/PACKAGE-TYPE/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME as the package host URL. For example, your Gemfile will be hosted at HOSTNAME/_registry/rubygems/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME, replacing HOSTNAME with the host name of your {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %} instance.

{% endif %}

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %}

Language	Description	Package format	Package client	Package namespace
JavaScript	Node package manager	package.json	npm	npm.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Ruby	RubyGems package manager	Gemfile	gem	rubygems.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Apache Maven project management and comprehension tool	pom.xml	mvn	maven.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Gradle build automation tool for Java	build.gradle or build.gradle.kts	gradle	maven.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
.NET	NuGet package management for .NET	nupkg	dotnet CLI	nuget.pkg.github.com/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME

{% else %}

With subdomain isolation enabled on {% data variables.product.product_location %}:

Language	Description	Package format	Package client	Package namespace
JavaScript	Node package manager	package.json	npm	npm.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Ruby	RubyGems package manager	Gemfile	gem	rubygems.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Apache Maven project management and comprehension tool	pom.xml	mvn	maven.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Gradle build automation tool for Java	build.gradle or build.gradle.kts	gradle	maven.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
.NET	NuGet package management for .NET	nupkg	dotnet CLI	nuget.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
N/A	Docker container management	Dockerfile	Docker	docker.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME

With subdomain isolation disabled on {% data variables.product.product_location %}:

Language	Description	Package format	Package client	Package namespace
JavaScript	Node package manager	package.json	npm	HOSTNAME/_registry/npm/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Ruby	RubyGems package manager	Gemfile	gem	HOSTNAME/_registry/rubygems/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Apache Maven project management and comprehension tool	pom.xml	mvn	HOSTNAME/_registry/maven/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
Java	Gradle build automation tool for Java	build.gradle or build.gradle.kts	gradle	HOSTNAME/_registry/maven/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME
.NET	NuGet package management for .NET	nupkg	dotnet CLI	HOSTNAME/_registry/nuget/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE-NAME

{% note %}

Note: Docker is not supported when subdomain isolation is disabled.

{% endnote %}

For more information about subdomain isolation, see "Enabling subdomain isolation."

{% endif %}

For more information about configuring your package client for use with {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}, see "Package client guides for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}."

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} For more information about Docker and {% data variables.product.prodname_github_container_registry %}, see "Container guides for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}." {% endif %}

Authenticating to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}

{% data reusables.package_registry.authenticate-packages %}

About scopes and permissions for package registries

To use or manage a package hosted by a package registry, you must use a token with the appropriate scope, and your user account must have appropriate permissions for that repository.

For example:

• To download and install packages from a repository, your token must have the read:packages scope, and your user account must have read permissions for the repository.
• {% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or if currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@3.0" %}To delete a package on {% data variables.product.product_name %}, your token must at least have the delete:packages and read:packages scope. The repo scope is also required for repo-scoped packages.{% endif %}{% if currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@3.1" %}To delete a specified version of a private package on {% data variables.product.product_name %}, your token must have the delete:packages and repo scope. Public packages cannot be deleted.{% endif %} For more information, see "{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@3.0" %}Deleting and restoring a package{% elsif currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@3.1" %}Deleting a package{% endif %}."

Scope	Description	Repository permissions
read:packages	Download and install packages from {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}	read
write:packages	Upload and publish packages to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}	write
delete:packages	{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@3.0" %} Delete packages from {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} {% endif %}{% if currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@3.1" %} Delete specified versions of private packages from {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} {% endif %}	admin
repo	Upload and delete packages (along with write:packages, or delete:packages)	write, or admin

When you create a {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow, you can use the GITHUB_TOKEN to publish and install packages in {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} without needing to store and manage a personal access token.

For more information, see:

• "Using {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} with {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}"
• "Creating a personal access token"
• "Available scopes"

Managing packages

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} You can delete a package in the {% data variables.product.product_name %} user interface or using the REST API. For more information, see the "{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} API." {% endif %}

{% if currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@3.0" %} You can delete a private or public package in the {% data variables.product.product_name %} user interface. Or for repo-scoped packages, you can delete a version of a private package using GraphQL. {% endif %}

{% if currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@3.1" %} You can delete a version of a private package in the {% data variables.product.product_name %} user interface or using the GraphQL API. {% endif %}

When you use the GraphQL API to query and delete private packages, you must use the same token you use to authenticate to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}. For more information, see "{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" or currentVersion ver_gt "enterprise-server@3.0" %}Deleting and restoring a package{% elsif currentVersion ver_lt "enterprise-server@3.1" %}Deleting a package{% endif %}" and "Forming calls with GraphQL."

You can configure webhooks to subscribe to package-related events, such as when a package is published or updated. For more information, see the "package webhook event."

Contacting support

{% if currentVersion == "free-pro-team@latest" %} If you have feedback or feature requests for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}, use the feedback form for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.

Contact {% data variables.contact.github_support %} about {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} using our contact form if:

• You experience anything that contradicts the documentation
• You encounter vague or unclear errors
• Your published package contains sensitive data, such as GDPR violations, API Keys, or personally identifying information

{% else %} If you need support for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}, please contact your site administrators.

{% endif %}