> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.tessl.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.tessl.io/creating-skills-and-plugins/publish-and-update.md).

# Publish and update

{% hint style="info" %}
**Takeaway** Publish a skill or plugin with `tessl skill publish` or `tessl plugin publish`. It goes to your workspace as private by default. Bump the version to ship an update, and request public visibility only when you want anyone to install it.
{% endhint %}

Publishing puts a skill or plugin on the [Tessl Registry](https://tessl.io/registry) so it can be installed by name. This page covers the publish command, visibility, and versioning. Rolling context out across many repositories, and the GitHub-based publishing flow, are covered in [Distribute](/distribute/distributing-via-registry.md).

{% hint style="info" %}
Your agent can run this step too: `tessl install tessl/plugin-creator`
{% endhint %}

## Publish

From the skill or plugin directory, or with a path:

```bash
tessl plugin publish ./api-conventions --workspace engteam
```

`engteam` is a stand-in workspace. Run `tessl workspace list` and use one of yours.

A single skill uses the same flow through `tessl skill publish`. Both publish to your workspace as **private**: only workspace members can install it.

| Flag                         | Purpose                                                                           |
| ---------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--workspace`                | Workspace to publish under. Required when non-interactive.                        |
| `--dry-run`                  | Run every pre-publish check without publishing. Use it first.                     |
| `--bump patch\|minor\|major` | Bump the version automatically if the current one already exists on the registry. |
| `--skip-evals`               | Skip publishing the eval scenarios in `evals/`.                                   |
| `--version`                  | Publish a specific version (plugin publish).                                      |

On publish, Tessl lints and reviews the content automatically, and the review score appears on the registry. See [Check a skill's quality using review](/improving-your-skills/reviewing-skills.md).

## Install it

Once published, you or your workspace can install it in any project:

```bash
tessl install engteam/api-conventions
tessl install engteam/api-conventions@1.2.0
```

To let teammates install a private plugin, add them to the workspace with `tessl workspace add-member`. See [Workspaces](/reference/workspaces.md).

## Ship an update

1. Make your changes.
2. Bump `version` in `.tessl-plugin/plugin.json` following [semantic versioning](https://semver.org/): patch for fixes, minor for backward-compatible additions, major for breaking changes.
3. Validate with `tessl plugin lint`.
4. Publish again.

```bash
tessl plugin publish ./api-conventions --workspace engteam
```

Anyone who installed it updates by running `tessl install engteam/api-conventions` again, which fetches the latest version.

## Make it public

Public means anyone can discover and install it. It is irreversible, so it needs approval first:

1. Open your plugin or skill in the [Tessl Registry](https://tessl.io/registry) and sign in.
2. Select **Actions** then **Make Public**, and confirm the request.

Once approved, set the visibility and publish again:

* **A plugin** takes its visibility from the `private` field in `.tessl-plugin/plugin.json`. Set `"private": false` and publish.
* **A skill** can be published public directly with `--public`:

```bash
tessl skill publish ./my-skill --workspace engteam --public
```

See [Sharing with your team and publicly](/distribute/sharing-plugins-publicly.md) for more.

## Remove or deprecate

Published something you should not have, or no longer want it installed? There is no hard delete, but two options cover it. Both use `tessl plugin` whether you published a skill or a plugin.

To drop one skill from a plugin that contains others, delete the skill file and publish a new version with `tessl plugin publish`. The old version remains on the registry; the new version simply omits the skill.

* **Unpublish** removes a version as if it was never published. It has a short time limit, a couple of days after publishing:

```bash
tessl plugin unpublish --plugin engteam/api-conventions@0.1.0
```

* **Archive** hides it from search but keeps it working for anyone who already references it, so existing installs do not break:

```bash
tessl plugin archive --plugin engteam/api-conventions --reason "superseded"
```

To simply stop new people finding it, you can also make it private again: set `"private": true` in the manifest and republish, or change visibility from the registry UI.

## Next

* [Distributing via registry](/distribute/distributing-via-registry.md) - archive, unpublish, and monitor usage.
* [Distribute plugins across multiple repositories](/distribute/distribute-plugins-across-multiple-repositories.md) - push plugins across many repos.
* [Improving your skills](/improving-your-skills/overview-improving-skills-and-plugins.md) - raise quality before you publish widely.


---

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