Install Key
An optional passcode required to install a package, used to gate unlisted or pre-release packages to specific customers.
Definition
An install key, previously called a password, is an optional passcode set on a package version that a subscriber must supply to install it. It's mainly used for packages that aren't listed on AppExchange, private betas, internal tools, or packages still going through review, where the install link alone shouldn't be enough to grant access. Without an install key, anyone with the installation URL for an unlisted package could install it; with one, the URL is effectively useless without also knowing the key. Once a package is listed and generally available on AppExchange, install keys are typically dropped, since AppExchange's own access controls take over. Our 2GP packaging guide covers other version-management details ISVs run into.
How it works in Serpent
For ISVs running private betas through Serpent, package version promotion and subscriber tracking stay in one place, so a team isn't separately keeping a spreadsheet of which install key went to which beta customer alongside their release pipeline. See DevOps for ISVs on Serpent for the full packaging workflow.
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