Package Alias
A readable name in sfdx-project.json that maps to a package or package version ID, so scripts and CI don't hardcode opaque IDs.
Definition
A package alias is an entry in a project's sfdx-project.json that maps a human-readable name to the actual package ID (starting with 0Ho) or package version ID (04t) Salesforce assigns. Instead of a build script or CI pipeline referencing a package by its opaque ID, it references the alias, and Salesforce CLI resolves it at runtime. Running sf package version create automatically adds a new alias entry for the version it produces, so the mapping stays current as a package evolves through its release history. Skipping aliases and hardcoding raw IDs in scripts is a common source of confusion once a package has several active versions, since nothing in the ID itself indicates what it represents. Our Salesforce CLI guide covers how packaging commands fit into a build.
How it works in Serpent
Serpent tracks package and version identity internally, so release dashboards and promotion history show readable names rather than raw IDs, without a team needing to hand-maintain alias entries across every project file. See release management in Serpent for how package versions are tracked.
Package Alias, answered
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