Update instructions based on workflow testing. Remove GitHub actions information (for now)

devalog · devalog · commit c741494c6079 · 2025-07-02T18:57:59.000-04:00
diff --git a/fern/products/sdks/overview/typescript/publishing-to-npm.mdx b/fern/products/sdks/overview/typescript/publishing-to-npm.mdx
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ description: How to publish the Fern Typescript SDK to npm.
 
 Publish your public-facing Fern Typescript SDK to the [npm registry](https://www.npmjs.com/). Once you've followed the steps on this page to connect your npm account to your SDK, Fern will automatically publish the latest version of your SDK.  
 
-<Info>This guide assumes that you've already generated a TypeScript SDK by following the instructions in [TypeScript Quickstart](quickstart.mdx).</Info>
+<Info>This guide assumes that you already have an initialized `fern` folder on your local machine. If you don’t, run `fern init`. See [TypeScript Quickstart](quickstart.mdx) for more details.</Info>
 
-## Configure your GitHub integration
+## Set up your GitHub integration
 
   1.   Create a new GitHub repository for your SDK, if you haven't done so already.
-  1.   Install the [Fern GitHub App](https://github.com/apps/fern-api). Select **Configure**, then scroll down to **Repository Access**. Select **Only select repositories** and in the dropdown select the repository for your SDK. Click **Save**. 
-  1.   Add your TypeScript SDK files (`fern` and `sdks` folders) to your repository.
+  1.   Install the [Fern GitHub App](https://github.com/apps/fern-api): Select **Configure**, then scroll down to **Repository Access**. Select **Only select repositories** and in the dropdown select the repository for your SDK. Click **Save**. 
+  1.   Add your SDK files to your repository.
   
 
 ## Configure `generators.yml`
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Publish your public-facing Fern Typescript SDK to the [npm registry](https://www
 
 	<Step title="Run `fern add <generator>`">
 
-	  Navigate to your `generators.yml`. Your `generators.yml` lives inside of your `fern` folder and contains all the configuration for your Fern generators. 
+	  Navigate to your `generators.yml` on your local machine. Your `generators.yml` lives inside of your `fern` folder and contains all the configuration for your Fern generators. 
 
 	  In order to generate the SDK, add the generator to your `generators.yml` using the `fern <add>` command:
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Publish your public-facing Fern Typescript SDK to the [npm registry](https://www
 
 	  <Step title="Configure `output` location">
 
-		Next, change the output location in `generators.yml` to `npm`:
+		Next, change the output location in `generators.yml` from `local-file-system` (the default) to `npm`:
 
 	    ```yaml title="TypeScript" {6-7}
 	    groups: 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ ts-sdk:
 
 	<Step title="Navigate to Access Tokens">
 
-	Click on your profile picture and select **Access Tokens**. 
+	Click on your profile picture, select **Edit Profile**, and then select **Access Tokens**. 
 
 	</Step>
 
@@ -129,12 +129,32 @@ ts-sdk:
 	<img src="assets/npm-automation-token.png" alt="Creating NPM Automation Token" />
 	</Frame>
 
-	<Warning>When you click **Generate Token**, you’ll be returned to the **Access Token** dashboard. A box on the top of the dashboard will confirm that your token creation was a success and prompt you to copy your token id. Make sure you save this id, as you'll need to add it to your GitHub repository in the later on.</Warning>
+	<Warning>When you click **Generate Token**, you’ll be returned to the **Access Tokens** dashboard. A box on the top of the dashboard will confirm that you successfully created a new token and prompt you to copy your token id. Make sure you save this id, as you'll need to add it to your GitHub repository in the later on.</Warning>
 
 	</Step>
+
+	<Step title="Configure npm authentication token">
+
+	Add `token: ${NPM_TOKEN}` to `generators.yml` to tell Fern to use the `NPM_TOKEN` environment variable for authentication when publishing to the npm registry.
+
+```yaml title="TypeScript" {9}
+groups: 
+ts-sdk:
+  generators:
+    - name: fernapi/fern-typescript-node-sdk
+      version: 0.9.5
+      output:
+        location: npm
+        package-name: name-of-your-package
+        token: ${NPM_TOKEN}
+      github: 
+        repository: your-org/your-repository
+```
+	</Step>
+
 </Steps>
 
-## Add NPM and Fern Tokens to your GitHub Tepository
+## Add npm Token to your GitHub Repository
 
 <Info>
 Using GitLab? Follow [these steps](/learn/docs/developer-tools/gitlab#add-a-token-to-gitlab). 
@@ -144,11 +164,11 @@ Using GitLab? Follow [these steps](/learn/docs/developer-tools/gitlab#add-a-toke
  
 	<Step title="Open Repository">
 
-	Open your Fern repository in GitHub.
+	Open your repository in GitHub. 
 
 	</Step>
 
-	<Step title="Navigate to Actions in Settings">
+	<Step title="Add a Secret for your npm Token">
 
 	Click on the **Settings** tab in your repository. Then, under the **Security** section, open **Secrets and variables** > **Actions**. 
 
@@ -158,9 +178,6 @@ Using GitLab? Follow [these steps](/learn/docs/developer-tools/gitlab#add-a-toke
 
 	You can also use the url `https://github.com/<your-repo>/settings/secrets/actions`.
 
-	</Step>
-
-	<Step title="Add secret for your NPM Token">
 
 	1.    Select **New repository secret**. 
 	1.    Name your secret `NPM_TOKEN`.
@@ -169,88 +186,33 @@ Using GitLab? Follow [these steps](/learn/docs/developer-tools/gitlab#add-a-toke
 
 	</Step>
 
-	<Step title="Generate and Add Secret for your Fern Token">
-
-	1.    Generate a Fern token by running `fern token` and saving the token id. 
-	1.    Select **New repository secret**. 
-	1.    Name your secret `FERN_TOKEN`.
-	1.    Add the corresponding token you generated above.
-	1.    Click **Add secret**. 
-
-	</Step>
-
 </Steps>
 
-## Configure GitHub Actions
+## Release your SDK to NPM
+
+  At this point, you're ready to generate a release for your SDK.
 
 <Steps>
-	<Step title="Update Workflow Action Settings">
+ 
+	<Step title="Set npm environment variable">
 
-		Change your workflow permissions to allow GitHub to run workflows:
+	Set the NPM_TOKEN environment variable on your local machine:
 
-		1.    Click on the **Settings** tab in your repository. 
-		1.    Navigate to **Actions**. Under **Actions permissions**, select **Allow all actions and reusable workflows**.
-		1.    **Save** your settings. Now GitHub can run the action you just configured. 
+	```bash
+	export NPM_TOKEN=your-actual-npm-token
+	```
 
 	</Step>
-	<Step title="Set up a GitHub Action">
-
-		Add a GitHub Action to trigger releases for your SDK. Add a new file called `publish-typescript-sdk.yml` (or something similar) to a new `.github/workflows` directory. Your file should look like this:
-
-
-```yaml title="TypeScript" maxLines=0
-name: Publish TypeScript SDK
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      version:
-        description: "The version of the TypeScript SDK that you would like to release"
-        required: true
-        type: string
-
-jobs:
-  release:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repo
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Install Fern CLI
-        run: npm install -g fern-api
-
-      - name: Release TypeScript SDK
-        env:
-          FERN_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.FERN_TOKEN }}
-          NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
-        run: |
-          fern generate --group ts-sdk --version ${{ inputs.version }} --log-level debug
-```
 
-	The group name in the `run` command (`ts-sdk`) must match the name of your group in `generators.yml`:
-
-```yaml {2}
-groups:
-  ts-sdk:
-    generators:
-      - name: fernapi/fern-typescript-node-sdk
-        version: 1.10.3
-        output:
-          location: npm
-          package-name: name-of-your-package
-          token: ${NPM_TOKEN}
-        github: 
-          repository: your-org/your-repository
-```
-	</Step>
-</Steps>
+	<Step title="Generate your release">
 
-## Release your SDK to NPM
+	Run the following command to regenerate your SDK and publish it on npm:
 
-  At this point, you're ready to generate a release for your SDK. You can do this by either:
-  *   Running `fern generate --version <version>` to regenerate your SDK.
-  *   Manually triggering your SDK generation workflow from your GitHub repository by navigating to **Actions** and selecting your workflow. Once you initiate the workflow, you'll be prompted to enter the version number of your release.
+	```bash
+	fern generate --version <version>
+	```
+	Local machine output will verify that the release is pushed to your repository and tagged with the version you specified. You'll receive an email from npm notifying you that a new version of your package has been successfully published!
 
-  	<img alt="GitHub Page" src="assets/sdk-release-action.png" />
+	</Step>
 
-  When your workflow executes, you'll receive an email from npm notifying you that your SDK has been successfully published!
+</Steps>
