info:To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
---
# Project as a package registry
# Store all of your packages in one GitLab project
Using the features of the package registry, it is possible to use one project to store all of your packages.
You can store all of your packages in one project's Package Registry. Rather than using
a GitLab repository to store code, you can use the repository to store all your packages.
Then you can configure your remote repositories to point to the project in GitLab.
This guide mirrors the creation of [this package registry](https://gitlab.com/sabrams/my-package-registry).
You might want to do this because:
For the video version, see [Single Project Package Registry Demo](https://youtu.be/ui2nNBwN35c).
## How does this work?
You might be wondering "how is it possible to upload two packages from different codebases to the same project on GitLab?".
It is easy to forget that a package on GitLab belongs to a project, but a project does not have to be a code repository.
The code used to build your packages can be stored anywhere - maybe it is another project on GitLab, or maybe a completely
different system altogether. All that matters is that when you configure your remote repositories for those packages, you
point them at the same project on GitLab.
## Why would I do this?
There are a few reasons you might want to publish all your packages to one project on GitLab:
1. You want to publish your packages on GitLab, but to a project that is different from where your code is stored.
1. You would like to group packages together in ways that make sense for your usage (such as all NPM packages in one project,
all packages being used by a specific department in one project, or all private packages in one project)
1. You want to use one remote for all of your packages when installing them into other projects.
1. You would like to migrate your packages to a single place on GitLab from a third-party package registry and do not
want to worry about setting up separate projects for each package.
1. You want to have your CI pipelines build all of your packages to one project so the individual responsible for
validating packages can manage them all in one place.
- You want to publish your packages in GitLab, but to a different project from where your code is stored.
- You want to group packages together in one project. For example, you might want to put all NPM packages,
or all packages for a specific department, or all private packages in the same project.
- When you install packages for other projects, you want to use one remote.
- You want to migrate your packages from a third-party package registry to a single place in GitLab and do not
want to worry about setting up separate projects for each package.
- You want to have your CI/CD pipelines build all of your packages to one project, so the person responsible for
validating packages can manage them all in one place.
## Example walkthrough
There is no functionality specific to this feature. All we are doing is taking advantage of functionality available in each
of the package management systems to publish packages of different types to the same place.
Let's take a look at how you might create a public place to hold all of your public packages.
### Create a project
First, create a new project on GitLab. It does not have to have any code or content. Make note of the project ID
displayed on the project overview page for use later in this process.
### Create an access token
No functionality is specific to this feature. Instead, we're taking advantage of the functionality
of each package management system to publish different package types to the same place.
All of the package repositories available on the GitLab package registry are accessible using [GitLab personal access
If you are using Maven, this involves updating your `pom.xml` file with distribution sections, including the
If you are using Maven, you update your `pom.xml` file with distribution sections. These updates include the
appropriate URL for your project, as described in the [GitLab Maven Repository documentation](../maven_repository/index.md#project-level-maven-endpoint).
Then, you need to add a `settings.xml` file and [include your access token](../maven_repository/index.md#authenticate-with-a-personal-access-token-in-maven).
Now you can [deploy Maven packages](../maven_repository/index.md#publish-a-package) to your project.
Now you can [publish Maven packages](../maven_repository/index.md#publish-a-package) to your project.
### Conan
#### Conan
For Conan, you need to add GitLab as a Conan registry remote. Follow the instructions in the
Then, create your package using the plus-separated (`+`) project path as your Conan user. For example,
if your project is located at `https://gitlab.com/foo/bar/my-proj`,
[create your Conan package](../conan_repository/index.md) using `conan create . foo+bar+my-proj/channel`.
`channel` is your package channel (such as `stable` or `beta`).
For Conan, first you need to add GitLab as a Conan registry remote. Follow the instructions in the [GitLab Conan Repository docs](../conan_repository/index.md#add-the-package-registry-as-a-conan-remote)
to do so. Then, create your package using the plus-separated (`+`) project path as your Conan user. For example,
if your project is located at `https://gitlab.com/foo/bar/my-proj`, then you can [create your Conan package](../conan_repository/index.md)
using `conan create . foo+bar+my-proj/channel`, where `channel` is your package channel (such as `stable` or `beta`). After your package
is created, you are ready to [upload your package](../conan_repository/index.md#publish-a-conan-package) depending on your final package recipe. For example:
After you create your package, you're ready to [publish your package](../conan_repository/index.md#publish-a-conan-package),
depending on your final package recipe. For example:
