Distribution Modes
Every LPM.dev Registry package starts private. Its owner can later request permanent distribution through Pool or Marketplace.
Compare the modes
| Mode | Consumer access | Author revenue | Requirements | Can return to private? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | Personal owner or organization members | None | Registry authentication | Yes, until public distribution activates |
| Pool | Subscribers with Pool access | Share of the Pool author fund based on eligible usage | Public-distribution review | No |
| Marketplace | Customers covered by a purchased license | Package sales, less the applicable platform fee | Active payment provider, active pricing plan, and public-distribution review | No |
Pool and Marketplace packages have publicly visible listings. Access to their release archives still requires the entitlement for that distribution mode.
See Pool for subscription revenue sharing and Marketplace for pricing and customer licenses.
Before requesting public distribution
Publish at least one package version, then open Package Settings > Distribution.
For Marketplace, configure an active payment provider and at least one active pricing plan. Both must still be active when the distribution request completes.
The LPM.dev Registry also checks every active version's direct LPM.dev Registry dependency names. Private dependencies block both public modes. Marketplace dependencies require the applicable redistribution rights and are incompatible with Pool. See Dependencies for the complete rules.
Review and activation
Requesting Pool or Marketplace distribution does not expose the package immediately:
- The package remains private.
- Every active version is queued for mandatory publication review.
- The latest publisher-visible version becomes the activation version.
- A clean automated verdict approves a version. Suspicious, unknown, or incomplete results require administrator review; a malicious verdict is rejected.
- When the activation version is approved, the LPM.dev Registry rechecks dependencies and, for Marketplace, the payment provider and pricing plan.
- If those requirements still pass, the selected distribution mode activates.
If a prerequisite changes before activation, the request is cancelled and the package remains private.
Historical versions are reviewed independently. An older version becomes available to entitled consumers only after that version is approved.
Publishing after activation
Every new Pool or Marketplace version enters publication review before consumers can access it. While review is pending:
- The publisher can access that exact version.
- Consumers retain access to previously approved versions.
- Unpinned installation continues to resolve to the highest approved version.
Publication review is the release gate. Quality scoring, generated metadata, and Agent Skill processing are separate systems and do not replace it.
The choice is permanent
Once Pool or Marketplace distribution activates, the package cannot return to private or switch to the other public mode. The package can still publish new versions and use the available version-lifecycle controls, but its distribution mode remains locked.
Software licenses
Distribution mode does not change the software license attached to your package. The LPM.dev Registry enforces package access, purchases, and dependency-entitlement rules; it does not decide whether your chosen license terms are legally compatible with paid distribution or redistribution.
Choose license terms appropriate for how you intend customers to use and redistribute the package.
