htekdev/vidpipe/npm-publish

npm Publish Skill

Complete workflow for publishing packages to the npm registry, including granular access token creation via the npmjs.com web UI.

Prerequisites

• npm account with package write access
• Playwright browser tool available for token creation
• Package must be built (npm run build) and tests passing (npm test)

Publishing Workflow

Step 1: Check if already published

npm view <package-name> version

If the package/version already exists, bump the version in package.json before proceeding.

Step 2: Build and test

npm run build && npm test

Ensure there are no build errors and all tests pass before publishing.

Step 3: Create granular access token (if needed)

If you don't have a valid token:

1. Navigate to https://www.npmjs.com/settings/~/tokens using Playwright browser
2. If not logged in, the user must authenticate (npm sends email OTP)
3. Click "Generate New Token"
4. Fill in:

• Token name: <package-name>-publish
• Bypass 2FA: Check the checkbox
• Packages and scopes → Permissions: "Read and write"
• Select packages: "All packages" radio button
• Expiration: 90 days (maximum for write tokens)

1. Click "Generate token"
2. Copy the token from the success page (starts with npm_)

Step 4: Configure and publish

npm config set //registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=<TOKEN>
npm publish --access public

Step 5: Verify publication

npm view <package-name> version

Confirm the published version matches what you expected.

Step 6: Clean up token from local config

npm config delete //registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken

This removes the token from your local .npmrc so it is not accidentally leaked.

Important Notes

• npm granular tokens with write access have a max 90-day expiry
• Bypass 2FA checkbox MUST be enabled for CLI publishing to work
• The "All packages" radio must be explicitly selected (it's not selected by default despite appearing so)
• Always clean up tokens from local .npmrc after publishing
• Token stays saved in npmjs.com account for re-use within its expiry window

Troubleshooting