Install Test Versions via Composer Artifacts

Sometimes we provide test or beta versions of our extensions as ZIP files. If you use Composer to manage your Magento installation, you can still install these ZIP files using Composer's artifact repository feature. This keeps your workflow consistent and allows Composer to track the package.

What Are Artifacts?

Artifacts are ZIP files that Composer can use as a package source. Instead of downloading from Packagist or our repository, Composer reads the composer.json inside the ZIP and installs it like any other package.

When to use this:

• Installing beta/test versions we've sent you
• Testing fixes before official release
• Installing versions not yet available in the repository

Step 1: Create an Artifacts Directory

Create a packages folder in your Magento root directory and place the ZIP file we provided there.

Step 2: Add the Artifact Repository

Add an artifact repository to your composer.json that points to the packages folder:

{
    "repositories": [
        {
            "type": "artifact",
            "url": "packages"
        }
    ]
}

If you already have other repositories defined, add the artifact entry at the top of the array:

{
    "repositories": [
        {
            "type": "artifact",
            "url": "packages"
        },
        {
            "type": "composer",
            "url": "http://packages.magmodules.eu"
        }
    ]
}

Important: Composer checks repositories in order. The artifact repository must be first, because the ZIP often has the same version number as the current release. This ensures Composer uses your local ZIP instead of downloading from our repository.

Step 3: Install the Module

If the module is already installed, simply run:

composer update vendor/package-name

Or if it's a new module:

composer require vendor/package-name

Then run the standard Magento commands:

bin/magento setup:upgrade
bin/magento setup:di:compile
bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy
bin/magento cache:flush

Switching Back to Regular Releases

Once testing is complete and an official version is released, remove the ZIP file from the packages folder and run:

composer update vendor/package-name

You can leave the artifact repository in composer.json - it won't affect anything if the folder is empty.

Troubleshooting

Package not found

• Check that the ZIP is in the correct folder
• Run composer clear-cache and try again
• Verify the ZIP contains a composer.json at its root

Wrong version installed

Composer may prefer another repository. Move the artifact repository to the top of the repositories list.

Need More Help?

Documentation:

• All Help Articles - Complete documentation overview

Support:

• Contact Support - Get help from our team