1 ---
2 title: About scopes
3 redirect_from:
4 - /getting-started/scoped-packages
5 ---
6
7 <Note>
8
9 **Note:** You must be using npm version 2 or greater to use scopes. To upgrade to the latest version of npm, on the command line, run `npm install npm@latest -g`
10
11 </Note>
12
13 When you sign up for an npm user account or create an organization, you are granted a scope that matches your user or organization name. You can use this scope as a namespace for related packages.
14
15 A scope allows you to create a package with the same name as a package created by another user or organization without conflict.
16
17 When listed as a dependent in a `package.json` file, scoped packages are preceded by their scope name. The scope name is everything between the `@` and the slash:
18
19 - **"npm" scope:**
20
21 ```
22 @npm/package-name
23 ```
24
25 - **"npmcorp" scope:**
26
27 ```
28 @npmcorp/package-name
29 ```
30
31 To create and publish public scoped packages, see "[Creating and publishing scoped public packages][create-public-pkg]".
32
33 To create and publish private scoped packages, see "[Creating and publishing private packages][create-private-pkg]".
34
35 ## Scopes and package visibility
36
37 - Unscoped packages are always public.
38 - [Private packages][about-priv-pkg] are always scoped.
39 - Scoped packages are private by default; you must pass a command-line flag when publishing to make them public.
40
41 For more information on package scope and visibility, see "[Package scope, access level, and visibility][pkg-viz]".
42
43 [create-public-pkg]: creating-and-publishing-scoped-public-packages
44 [create-private-pkg]: creating-and-publishing-private-packages
45 [about-priv-pkg]: about-private-packages
46 [pkg-viz]: package-scope-access-level-and-visibility