Private npm Registries in Production: Azure DevOps on Top

Why Private Artifacts Matter in Real Teams

Private packages are not optional in real production work.
Your design system, shared UI, internal SDKs, build tooling, and security patches all live here.
If private artifacts are slow, flaky, or confusing, the entire team’s velocity drops.

This chapter closes the series by answering one question: where should you host private npm packages?

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What a Real Registry Must Do

Beyond “it works,” a registry must deliver:

• Simple auth (PAT or token in .npmrc)
• Reliable publishing from CI/CD
• Clear access control for teams
• Fast installs (especially under load)
• Predictable pricing and a usable free tier

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The Top 10 Private npm Registry Options (Opinionated Ranking)

1) Azure DevOps Artifacts, Best Overall

If you want the least friction with the most real‑world value, this is the one.
It’s easy to set up, has a strong free tier, and works smoothly with Azure Pipelines.

Why it wins:

• Clean feeds for teams and orgs
• Simple PAT-based .npmrc auth
• Strong permissions model
• Great for Microsoft and non‑Microsoft stacks alike

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2) AWS CodeArtifact

Powerful in AWS, but IAM complexity is real.
Great if you already live inside AWS.

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3) Google Artifact Registry (GAR)

Solid security and GCP integration.
Less friendly for smaller teams.

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4) GitHub Packages

Convenient for GitHub‑native workflows.
Auth and permission setup can be confusing in bigger orgs.

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5) GitLab Package Registry

Strong if your CI/CD already lives in GitLab.
Not ideal if you’re outside the GitLab stack.

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6) npm Enterprise / npm Pro

First‑party UX, direct from npm.
Pricing can become heavy at scale.

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7) JFrog Artifactory

Enterprise‑grade and feature‑rich.
But heavy to operate for smaller teams.

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8) Verdaccio (Self‑Hosted)

Lightweight and easy to host.
Great for small teams that need control.

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9) Sonatype Nexus

Mature and reliable, but feels old‑school.
More effort than most teams want.

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10) Cloudsmith

Nice UX and multi‑format support.
Smaller ecosystem compared to the top picks.

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Why Azure DevOps Artifacts Is #1

It’s the most balanced option right now:

• Usable free tier
• Fast setup (create feed → generate PAT → update .npmrc)
• Stable in CI/CD
• Great for teams, not just solo developers

If you care about delivery speed and consistency, Azure DevOps Artifacts is the practical winner.

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Quick Setup: Azure DevOps Artifacts

Here’s the simplest path:

1. Create a feed in Azure DevOps Artifacts
2. Generate a PAT
3. Add .npmrc:

//pkgs.dev.azure.com/<org>/_packaging/<feed>/npm/registry/:_authToken=<PAT>
@your-scope:registry=https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/<org>/_packaging/<feed>/npm/registry/

4. Publish like normal:

npm publish

Done.

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Series Close

This series started with building your first package.
It ends with operating it the way real teams do.

Private artifacts are infrastructure, not an afterthought.
Pick a registry your team won’t fight with every week.

For me, right now: Azure DevOps Artifacts is the best choice.

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Chapter Summary

✅ Private packages are critical for real teams
✅ Registry choice affects velocity
✅ Azure DevOps Artifacts is the most balanced option
✅ You now know how to build, publish, and operate a package

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Next Steps

You can now:

• Set up a private feed
• Publish a scoped package
• Migrate internal tooling into versioned packages

That’s the series. You now know the full path, from local package to production‑grade distribution.