Here’s a detailed text-based table comparing Local, Remote, and Virtual repositories in JFrog Artifactory, including what each type can do and cannot do:
📊 Local vs Remote vs Virtual Repositories
| Aspect | Local Repository | Remote Repository | Virtual Repository |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | Hosts internally created artifacts within Artifactory. | Acts as a caching proxy for external repositories (e.g., Maven Central, npm). | Provides a unified endpoint that aggregates multiple local and remote repositories. |
| Purpose | Store and version artifacts you build in-house. | Provide cached access to external dependencies and reduce build time. | Simplify dependency resolution by exposing a single URL for multiple repositories. |
| What It Can Do | ✅ Upload artifacts manually or via CI/CD pipelines.✅ Store proprietary/internal packages.✅ Full control over metadata, access, and promotion.✅ Always available since artifacts are internal. | ✅ Cache external artifacts for offline use.✅ Control external dependency versions.✅ Speed up builds by reducing external calls.✅ Verify artifact integrity via checksums. | ✅ Combine multiple repos under one endpoint.✅ Provide consistent repository URL to developers and pipelines.✅ Control repository priority/order for resolution.✅ Hide complexity of multiple repositories. |
| What It Cannot Do | ❌ Cannot fetch artifacts from external repositories automatically.❌ Cannot act as a proxy. | ❌ Cannot host internally built artifacts (only caches what it fetches).❌ Cannot promote artifacts between environments. | ❌ Cannot store artifacts itself (only routes to local/remote repos).❌ Cannot cache external artifacts directly. |
| Artifact Source | Internal builds and manual uploads. | External upstream repositories. | Combination of both local and remote sources. |
| Usage Example | Hosting your organization’s Maven or npm internal packages. | Caching dependencies from Maven Central or npmjs registry. | A single “all-in-one” endpoint for devs combining internal and external Maven repos. |
| Best For | Internal builds and proprietary packages. | External dependency caching and reproducibility. | Simplifying access for developers and CI/CD pipelines. |
✅ Summary:
- Local: Stores internal artifacts you create.
- Remote: Proxies and caches external repositories.
- Virtual: Combines local and remote into a single logical repository.
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