PUBLISH.md

How to Publish to npm

Prerequisites

1. Create an npm account (if you don't have one):

   • Go to https://www.npmjs.com/signup
   • Create an account

2. Login to npm from your terminal:

   npm login

   Enter your username, password, and email when prompted.

Pre-Publishing Checklist

Before publishing, make sure:

• Package name is available on npm (check at https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket-base-client-js)
• Update package.json with your repository URL (if you have one)
• Update package.json with your author information
• Test your package locally
• Version number is correct (follows semantic versioning)

Publishing Steps

1. Check Package Name Availability

npm view socket-base-client-js

If it returns 404, the name is available. If it returns package info, the name is taken and you'll need to change it in package.json.

2. Test Your Package Locally

You can test your package locally before publishing:

# In the socket-base-client-js directory
npm link

# In another project where you want to test
npm link socket-base-client-js

3. Dry Run (Preview What Will Be Published)

npm publish --dry-run

This shows what files will be included without actually publishing.

4. Publish to npm

For first-time publishing:

npm publish

For updates (after first publish):

# Update version first (choose one):
npm version patch   # 1.0.0 -> 1.0.1 (bug fixes)
npm version minor   # 1.0.0 -> 1.1.0 (new features)
npm version major   # 1.0.0 -> 2.0.0 (breaking changes)

# Then publish
npm publish

Or manually update version in package.json and then:

npm publish

5. Verify Publication

Check your package on npm:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket-base-client-js

Test installation:

npm install socket-base-client-js

Publishing Scoped Packages (Optional)

If you want to publish as a scoped package (e.g., @yourusername/socket-base-client-js):

1. Update package.json:

   {
     "name": "@yourusername/socket-base-client-js",
     ...
   }

2. Publish with public access:

   npm publish --access public

Updating Your Package

After making changes:

1. Update version:

   npm version patch  # or minor, or major

2. Publish:

   npm publish

Unpublishing (if needed)

⚠️ Warning: Only unpublish within 72 hours of publishing, and only if necessary.

npm unpublish socket-base-client-js
# or for a specific version
npm unpublish socket-base-client-js@1.0.0

Common Issues

"You do not have permission to publish"

• Make sure you're logged in: npm whoami
• If the package name is taken, choose a different name

"Package name too similar"

• npm has restrictions on similar package names
• Try a more unique name

"Invalid package name"

• Package names must be lowercase
• Can contain hyphens and underscores
• Cannot start with a dot or underscore

Best Practices

1. Use semantic versioning (major.minor.patch)
2. Write a good README.md (already done!)
3. Add tests before publishing
4. Keep CHANGELOG.md to track changes
5. Tag releases in git after publishing

Quick Reference

# Login
npm login

# Check what will be published
npm publish --dry-run

# Publish
npm publish

# Update version and publish
npm version patch && npm publish

# Check if logged in
npm whoami

# View package info
npm view socket-base-client-js