Publish and update games on itch.io by creating a project page and uploading builds with butler, its command-line tool. Organize platform-specific channels, assign version numbers, preview changes, and upload only changed files during updates.
Publish and update a game on itch.io: create the project page and upload builds with the butler CLI (butler push) to named channels. Use for itch.io publishing, butler push, channel naming for Windows/macOS/Linux/HTML5, versioning uploads, or shipping a jam or release build to itch.io.
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See how to installReview the instructions the agent will receive before you install.
Get a build onto an itch.io page and keep it updated. The page is created in the browser; all
uploads go through butler, itch.io's command-line tool, with one command you'll use
forever: butler push. butler diffs against the previous build and uploads only what
changed. Deep CI/CD and flag detail lives in references/butler-ci.md.
butler push, choosing channel names, versioning uploads, or
shipping a jam/demo/release build to itch.io.butler push, butler login, channels, .itch.toml, "publish on itch",
"upload to itch".When not to use: publishing on Steam (use steam-publish); jam scope/planning (use
game-jam — this skill is only the upload mechanics); building the game itself (engine
skills).
itch.io/game/new. Set the Kind of project: keep
Downloadable for native builds, or choose HTML for a browser-playable game (this is
required for web builds — see Pitfalls). Set pricing/visibility (Draft until ready).itchio.itch.io/butler, add it to PATH,
then butler login (opens a browser to authorize). Verify with butler version. For
CI, use BUTLER_API_KEY instead — see the reference..zip of that folder), not an installer and not a
pre-compressed archive of archives (hurts patching; see Pitfalls).butler push <dir> <user>/<game>:<channel>. The channel name
determines the platform tag (see Patterns). The first push uploads everything; later
pushes to the same channel upload only the diff.--userversion 1.2.0 or
--userversion-file build.txt so you control the version string players and the update
API see.butler status <user>/<game>
to see channels/builds and butler push-preview to see what a push would change before
sending it.butler push# butler push <directory-or-zip> <user>/<game>:<channel>
butler push ./build/windows leafy/my-game:windows
butler push ./build/mac leafy/my-game:osx
butler push ./build/linux leafy/my-game:linux
butler push ./web leafy/my-game:html # browser build (also set page Kind = HTML)
Substring in channel name -> auto-applied tag:
win / windows -> Windows linux -> Linux
mac / osx -> macOS android -> Android
Multiple platforms in one channel are allowed: e.g. a Java jar:
butler push ./jar leafy/my-game:win-linux-mac
Convention: lowercase words separated by dashes (windows-beta, osx-demo, soundtrack).
Tags are only the INITIAL guess — fix them anytime on the Edit game page (then Save).
butler version # print version; confirms install + PATH
butler login # authorize this machine (opens browser)
# Set an explicit version string instead of itch's auto-incrementing integer:
butler push ./build leafy/my-game:windows --userversion 1.2.0
butler push ./build leafy/my-game:windows --userversion-file build_number.txt
butler status leafy/my-game # list channels + latest builds/versions
butler push-preview ./build leafy/my-game:windows # NEW/MODIFIED/DELETED/SAME, uploads nothing
# Hide a brand-new channel from the page until you're ready (NEW channels only):
butler push ./build leafy/my-game:windows-beta --hidden
# Exclude files from the upload without copying the folder (--ignore is repeatable):
butler push ./build leafy/my-game:windows --ignore '*.pdb' --ignore '*.dSYM'
# Preview exactly what would be sent, without sending it:
butler push ./build leafy/my-game:windows --dry-run
.exe/.msi)
defeats patching and the itch app's auto-update, and may need admin rights players don't
have. Push the extracted, runnable folder instead..zip. butler auto-unzips it and pushes the contents
(to avoid a "zip in a zip"). Pass --no-auto-unzip only if you truly want the zip uploaded
as one opaque file.--hidden on an existing channel errors. It only applies when the push creates a new
channel. Unhide later from Edit game.windows and win-final are different channels and
create separate downloads. Decide your channel names up front and reuse them.BUTLER_API_KEY printed in a public log is compromised — revoke
it immediately on the API keys page. See the reference for safe CI usage.BUTLER_API_KEY, automated install via broth, the
full flag list, and the update-check API, read references/butler-ci.md.itch.io/docs/butler (installing, login, pushing).steam-publish — the same game on Steam via SteamPipe (often shipped alongside itch.io).game-jam — most jams are hosted on itch.io; this skill handles the upload step.prototype-fast — share an early prototype on a Draft/restricted itch page for playtesting.No reviews yet. Tell others what you thought.
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