Skip to content

Contextual documentation to help users download NPM packages

Problem to solve

The GitLab Package Registry allows users to build, publish and share packages using the command line or their pipelines. As part of the registry we provide a user interface that provides an overview of packages, metadata and the ability to delete packages.

However, we do not currently offer the user any help in how they should go about pulling a given package. This is a problem because users are forced to figure out the naming conventions on their own.

User stories

  • I as a developer, when I am browsing my project or groups package registry and have selected a specific package, need the ability to quickly view and copy a command that will allow me to download the latest version of a package, so that I can better contribute to the project.

Intended users

Proposal

Add a new section to the NPM package detail screen that includes a text box with a copyable code snippet to download the package.

  • Utilize scoped packages as per: #31843 (comment 220697240)
  • We will add this to NPM first and then add support for Maven and Conan respectively

Further details

User Interface

setupinstall

Permissions and Security

  • There are no permissions changes for this issue. We should use the existing permissions wherein developer and above can download packages for projects they have access to.

Documentation

  • Although there are no changes to the GitLab docs, we are providing documentation within the app and that should be reviewed by @axil.

Testing

  • Test that only users with appropriate permissions can download packages

What does success look like, and how can we measure that?

Success looks like we are providing users with a quick way to download packages using the command line.

  • Add tracking to copy events and add to the Package Stage Dashboard
  • Track number of downloads of packages over time
Edited by Thao Yeager