A package contains features to fit the various needs of your project. This can include any core features of Unity which is installed along with the Editor, or other packages which you can install as needed.
For more information about using packages in general, see Working with the Package Manager.
If you are only interested in finding documentation or information about a specific package, click the links on the Verified packagesWhen a package passes release cycle testing for a specific version of Unity, it receives the Verified For designation. This means that these packages are guaranteed to work with the designated version of Unity.
See in Glossary, Preview packagesA preview package is in development and not yet ready for production. A package in preview might be at any stage of development, from the initial stages to near completion.
See in Glossary and Built-in packagesBuilt-in packages allow users to toggle Unity features on or off through the Package Manager. Enabling or disabling a package reduces the run-time build size. For example, most projects don’t use the legacy Particle System. By removing the abstracted package of this feature, the related code and resources are not part of the final built product. Typically, these packages contain only the package manifest and are bundled with Unity (rather than available on the package registry).
See in Glossary pages. To find a package by keyword, see the Packages by keywords page.
For information about using packages with the Unity Package Manager, the following table provides links to various topics of this documentation:
| What do you want to do? | See this documentation: |
|---|---|
| Get an introduction to Packages | The Concepts section explains principles and features of the Package Manager, including basic concepts like versions, manifests, registries, states, sources, and the package lifecycle, as well as dependency and resolution. Finding packages explains how to use the Package Manager window to: - Find specific versions of each package. - Find Asset Store packages that you can import or download into your project. The Package Manager window section explains how to interact with the Unity Package Manager inside Unity. |
| Install a package | These pages describe how to use the Package Manager window to install packages from the following sources: - Installing from the registry - Installing from a local folder - Installing from a local tarball file - Installing from a Git URL Embedded dependencies describes where to put your package in order to embed it in your project. You can either embed a package manually or use the Scripting API to embed a package that is already installed in your project. Switching to another package version describes how to use the Package Manager window to switch versions of a package already installed. Removing an installed package describes how to use the Package Manager window to remove a package from your project. Disabling a built-in package describes how to use the Package Manager window to enable and disable built-in packages. |
| Working with Asset Store packages | For information on working with Asset Store packages directly inside the Package Manager window, see: - Importing an Asset Store package - Updating your Asset Store package |
| Troubleshoot a package | If any of your project’s packages, including the Package Manager window itself, fails to load correctly, refer to the Troubleshooting and Package conflicts sections. |
| Learn more about working with manifests | The project manifestEach Unity project has a project manifest, which acts as an entry point for the Package Manager. This file must be available in the <project>/Packages directory. The Package Manager uses it to configure many things, including a list of dependencies for that project, as well as any package repository to query for packages. More infoSee in Glossary reference page describes each attribute, including what values are valid and what role they play. The Inspecting packages reference page describes how to view a package manifest in the Inspector. If the package is mutable (editable), you can also use the Inspector to modify the manifest itself. |
| Learn advanced ways to work with packages | To get started creating scripts that interact with the Package Manager, see Scripting API for packages. It provides a high-level overview of working with the Package Manager APIs and code samples for browsing the list of packages, adding a package to a project, and embedding a package that is already installed in the project. If you want to find out about how to use your own package registry server in addition to the standard Unity registry, see Scoped Registries. |
| Build and share your own tools and assets in a package | The Custom packages section is a complete guide on building your own packages. It explains custom package requirements, such as naming and file structure. It also covers how to fill out the package manifestEach package has a manifest, which provides information about the package to the Package Manager. The manifest contains information such as the name of the package, its version, a description for users, dependencies on other packages (if any), and other details. More info See in Glossary, share your package, and more. |