# Package a custom blade

Before you can deploy a newly developed custom blade to a Deployment Framework on a production system, it has to be packaged into a kit. Here’s how to do this.

**📌 NOTE**\
These instructions apply to all blades except Java-based adapters created using Caplin’s Gradle project templates hosted on GitHub. For more information on packaging Java adapters, see [Caplin Integration Suite](../cis/index.md).

## Prepare the blade files

The files for the blade must be located in the Deployment Framework directory structure under _<Framework-root>/kits/<blade_name> /<blade-name>_

Make sure that all the files required for the blade are present and are in the correct directory structure. For more information about the directory structure and files required for the type of blade you’re creating, refer to the relevant page via one of the links in How can I... [Create a custom blade](cdf-create-a-custom-blade.md).

Delete any files that are in the blade’s _DataSource/var_ directory (_<Framework-root>/kits/<blade_name>/<blade-name>/DataSource/var_)

## Naming the blade kit

Give your blade kit a name of this form:

```
<blade_name>-<major_version>.<minor_version>.<patch_version>.zip
```

Example: `MyAdapterBlade-1.0.0.zip`

## Creating the blade kit on Windows

To create a new blade kit on Windows:

1. In Cygwin, navigate to the directory _&lt;Framework-root>/kits/&lt;blade-name>_
2. Run this `zip` command:

   ```
   zip –qyr <kit-name>.zip <blade_name>
   ```

   For example:

   ```
   zip –qyr MyAdapterBlade-1.0.0.zip MyAdapterBlade
   ```
3. Move the newly created _.zip_ file out of the _kits_ directory, so it doesn’t inadvertently get deployed when you next run `.dfw /deploy` or deleted when you run `./dfw delete`

## Creating the blade kit on Linux

To create a new blade kit on Linux:

1. Navigate to the directory _&lt;Framework-root>/kits/&lt;blade-name>_
2. Run these `tar` commands in order:

   ```
   tar czf <kit-name>.tar <blade_name>
   ```

   For example:

   ```
   tar czf MyAdapterBlade-1.0.0.tar.gz MyAdapterBlade
   ```
3. Move the newly created _.tar.gz_ file out of the _kits_ directory, so it doesn’t inadvertently get deployed when you next run `.dfw /deploy` or deleted when you run `./dfw delete`

## Deploying the new blade

Once you’ve packaged the new blade, you’ll want to deploy it on your production, pre-production, or test system - see How can I... [Deploy a custom blade](cdf-deploy-a-custom-blade.md).