NUPKG File Documentation

Overview

Feature Value
Format Name NuGet Package
Extension .nupkg
MIME Type application/zip
Based On ZIP format
Primary Use Package distribution for .NET languages
Contains Compiled code (DLLs), other packages, resource files, and a manifest (nuspec file)
Manifest File .nuspec
Manifest MIME Type application/xml
Creation Tool NuGet CLI, dotnet CLI, MSBuild, NuGet Package Explorer
Encryption Not encrypted, but can be signed for validation
Signing supported Yes, with X.509 certificates
Compression Method Deflate
Versioning Semantic versioning (SemVer)
Dependency Management Defines dependencies within the .nuspec manifest
Platform Compatibility .NET Framework, .NET Core, and .NET 5+/6+
License Metadata Supported within the .nuspec manifest
Package Source NuGet Gallery, private repositories, local file system
Typical File Size Range Varies widely based on content, typically from a few KBs to several MBs
Editability Can be opened and modified with Zip-compatible tools and NuGet Package Explorer
API Support Extensive support through NuGet Libraries