# Publishing

Because contracts live in your client applications, publishing and sharing contracts require maintaining a separate `package.json` specifically for your contracts. This lets you publish **only** your contracts to an npm registry.

## Private APIs

If you're working with a private API, it's recommended that you use either [private package](https://www.npmjs.com/features), or something else like [Gemfury](https://gemfury.com/) to keep your contracts private. If you're completely opposed to either of those options, you also have the option of using your github repo as your contract package.

## Distributing Contracts

The **Rivet** CLI helps manage your contracts with an npm registry. There are 4 CLI commands that you should be aware of. All of these commands are expected to be run from your consumer application root directory (along side your `package.json` that requires `rivet`)

### `rivet compile`

Compiles your javascript contract files into JSON Schema files, for distribution.

### `rivet watch`

Watches contracts for change to files, and compiles changes to JSON Schema files, for distribution.

### `rivet version <version|major|minor|patch>`

Bumps the contracts version, and writes the new version to the contracts' `package.json`. It will also create a version commit and tag.

### `rivet publish`

Publishes your contracts package to the registry.

> Note: Only use this, if you are using an npm registry to host your contracts.

## Importing Contracts