Sharing extensions

Once you've built an extension you want others to use, there are several ways to share it — from a quick one-liner for a colleague to a fully published npm package. Pick the approach that matches your audience.

Install from a local folder

The simplest share: hand someone the folder (zip, AirDrop, USB) and have them run one command:

silo install /path/to/my-extension

Or they can open Settings → Extensions → Install from folder… and pick the folder. Best for local teammates or quick one-off installs.

Share via a Git repository

For extensions you maintain over time, a Git repo is the natural home. The recipient clones it and builds locally:

git clone https://github.com/you/my-extension
cd my-extension
npm install && npm run build
silo install .

This works for a single-extension repo or a collection repo where each extension lives in its own subfolder:

my-extensions/
  clock/
    package.json
    src/index.tsx
  weather/
    package.json
    src/index.tsx

git clone https://github.com/you/my-extensions
cd my-extensions/clock && npm install && npm run build && silo install .

When to use this: pro users who want to inspect the source, make local tweaks, or stay on the latest commit. Requires Node/npm on the recipient's machine.

Share a packed tarball

npm pack produces a self-contained .tgz from your built extension. Anyone with Silo can install it directly — no Node, no build step:

npm run build
npm pack                      # → silo-my-clock-0.1.0.tgz

Options for distributing the .tgz:

• Attach to a GitHub release — upload the .tgz as a release asset; the install URL is the asset's download link.
• Commit to a repo — for a collection repo, commit each .tgz alongside its source; the raw GitHub URL becomes the install link.
• Send the file directly — paste the path or URL into Settings → Extensions and click Install.

https://github.com/you/my-extensions/raw/main/clock/silo-my-clock-0.1.0.tgz

When to use this: sharing with less technical users, or when you want to pin a specific built version without requiring the recipient to build anything.

The create-silo-extension scaffold includes a pack script that builds and packs in one step:

npm run pack                  # build + npm pack → silo-my-ext-0.1.0.tgz

Publish to npm

Publishing makes your extension installable by package name from anywhere:

npm publish --access public

Users install by typing the package name into Settings → Extensions → npm package name or tarball URL…:

silo-my-clock

Or they can use the npm tarball URL directly:

https://registry.npmjs.org/silo-my-clock/-/silo-my-clock-0.1.0.tgz

See Publishing an extension for the full package shape, manifest requirements, and recommended CI setup.

When to use this: public extensions meant for the wider Silo community.

Comparison

Method	Requires Node/npm	Pinned version	Public URL
Local folder	To build	—	No
Git clone + build	Yes	No (tracks branch)	No
Packed tarball	No	Yes	Optional
npm publish	No	Yes	Yes