# Publishing Your Mod

Kite Loader uses a fully decentralized, GitHub-driven public registry. This means managing, updating, and publishing your mods is entirely free and transparent.

## The Kite Registry

All mods are indexed from the official repository: [nitaybl/kite-loader-registry](https://github.com/nitaybl/kite-loader-registry) *(Note: this repository must be created to initialize the ecosystem).*

When you publish a mod, you submit a Pull Request (PR) to this registry containing your mod's metadata.

### 1. Prepare Your Mod

Ensure your mod is hosted publicly (e.g., your own GitHub repository) and includes a `mod.json` file in its root directory containing your entry point. Your repository must contain a `.zip` release or map directly to the `main` branch zip archive.

### 2. Fork the Registry

1. Navigate to the [Kite Loader Registry GitHub](https://github.com/nitaybl/kite-loader-registry).
2. Click **Fork** to copy the repository to your own account.

### 3. Construct Your Registry Entry

Inside the `registry.json` file on your forked repository, add a new JSON object to the array.

**Pay close attention to what fields are required versus optional. If you miss a required field or use improper formatting, the automated GitHub Actions will automatically reject your PR.**

```json
{
  "id": "your-unique-mod-id",
  "name": "My Epic Mod",
  "author": "YourName",
  "type": "Plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "An incredibly detailed description of exactly what your mod does and why people need it.",
  "repository": "https://github.com/YourName/YourModRepo",
  "download": "https://github.com/YourName/YourModRepo/archive/refs/heads/main.zip",
  "logo": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/YourName/YourModRepo/main/logo.png",
  "tags": ["UI", "Utility"]
}
```

#### Schema Specifications:

* **`id`** *(Required)*: A unique, lowercase string with dashes instead of spaces. E.g., `discord-rich-presence`.
* **`name`** *(Required)*: The public display name of your mod.
* **`author`** *(Required)*: Your developer handle or team name.
* **`type`** *(Required)*: Must be exactly one of: `"Theme"`, `"Plugin"`, `"QoL"`, or `"Core"`.
* **`version`** *(Required)*: Strict semantic versioning number (e.g., `1.0.0`, `2.3.1`). The registry polls this constantly to push automated update patches to your users.
* **`description`** *(Required)*: A concise, compelling 1-2 sentence pitch for your mod.
* **`repository`** *(Required)*: A direct URL to your GitHub or Gitlab repository for open-source review.
* **`download`** *(Required)*: A direct `.zip` download link to the exact build you want to publish.
* **`logo`** *(Optional)*: A direct URL to a square `.png` or `.jpg` file (ideally `256x256`). If omitted, a dynamic fallback abstraction is generated.
* **`tags`** *(Optional)*: An array of up to 3 strings used for categorization and filtering in the global Discover page.

### 4. Submit a Pull Request

1. Commit your changes to your fork.
2. Open a **Pull Request** targeting the `main` branch of the official `kite-loader-registry`.
3. Provide a brief description of your mod in the PR text.
4. Our automated GitHub Actions will instantly validate your JSON syntax.
5. Once a core administrator clicks **Merge**, your plugin will instantly populate globally on the `Discover Mods` page inside the Kite Loader ecosystem!


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# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://kite-loader.gitbook.io/kite-loader-documentation/publishing-to-registry.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.