.NUPKG File Extension

Prior to 2012, developers had to manually install NuGet as an extension to Microsoft Visual Studio. But over time, NuGet and the NUPKG format proved so essential that Microsoft began installing NuGet Package Manager with Visual Studio by default. These days, developers share thousands of NUPKG files using NuGet.org and NuGet Package Manager. Popular NuGet packages include Microsoft Entity Framework, jQuery, and JSON libraries.

Generally, developers do not open NUPKG files. Instead, they import the files into Microsoft Visual Studio, so they can include the code contained within NUPKG files in their development projects.

To import a NUPKG file into Microsoft Visual Studio:

1. From the Visual Studio toolbar, select Project → Manage NuGet Packages. The NuGet Package Manager appears.
2. Select the gear icon that appears in the upper right-hand corner of the NuGet Package Manager. The Options window appears, showing a list of NuGet package sources.
3. If the folder containing your NUPKG file does not appear in the Package sources: field, add that folder as a package source (by selecting the + button and then entering the path to your folder in the Source: field). Then, select OK.
4. From the Package source: dropdown menu, select your new package source.
5. When your NUPKG file appears in the NuGet Package Manager, click it and then select Install.

Because NUPKG files are compressed with zip compression, you can also extract the files contained within them using zip utilities such as:

• Microsoft File Explorer (Windows)
• 7-Zip (Windows)
• Apple Archive Utility (Mac)
• Corel WinZip (Windows and Mac)

After you extract the files contained within a NUPKG package, you can open and view them normally.

NOTE: If you have trouble extracting the files contained within a NUPKG file, you can try renaming the file to use the .ZIP extension before decompressing it.