add instructions

yarn-project/README.md

@@ -40,3 +40,25 @@ To add a new package, make sure to add it to the `build_manifest.json`, to the `
 - `tsconfig.json`
 
 You may also need to modify the [Dockerfile](yarn-project/yarn-project-base/Dockerfile) to copy your new `package.json` into the container to get CI to pass.
+
+## Deploying npm packages
+`deploy-npm` script handles the releases of npm packages within yarn-project. But the initial release is a manual process:
+
+1. Ensure relevant folders are copied in by docker in `yarn-project/yarn-project-base/Dockerfile` and `yarn-project/Dockerfile`
+2. SSH into the CI
+3. Run the following:
+```sh
+cd project
+./build-system/scripts/setup_env "$(git rev-parse HEAD)" "" "" ""
+source /tmp/.bash_env*
+BUILD_SYSTEM_DEBUG=1
+COMMIT_TAG=<RELEASE_TAG_NUMBER_YOU_WANT e.g. aztec-packages-v0.8.8>
+```
+4. Follow the [`deploy-npm` script](./deploy_npm.sh). 
+    - Best to run the `deploy_package()` method line by line by manually setting `REPOSITORY` var.
+    - Extract `VERSION` as the script shows (in the eg it should be 0.8.8)
+    - Skip the version existing checks like `if [ "$VERSION" == "$PUBLISHED_VERSION" ]` and `if [ "$VERSION" != "$HIGHER_VERSION" ]`. Since this is our first time deploying the package, `PUBLISHED_VERSION` and `HIGHER_VERSION` will be empty and hence these checks would fail. These checks are necessary in the CI for continual releases.
+    - Locally update the package version in package.json using `jq` as shown in the script
+    - Do a dry-run
+    - If dry run succeeds, publish the package!
+5. Create a PR by adding your package into the `deploy-npm` script so next release onwards, CI can cut releases for your package.