Configuration has been prepared, now you can:
repo_1) Deploy snapshot artifacts into repository https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots
repo_2) Deploy release artifacts into the staging repository https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2
Promote staged artifacts into repository 'Releases'
repo_3) Download snapshot and release artifacts from group https://oss.sonatype.org/content/groups/public
repo_4) Download snapshot, release and staged artifacts from staging group https://oss.sonatype.org/content/groups/staging
I can see use for repo_1 for deploying snapshots and repo_2 for releasing artifacts (to be subsequently synced with Maven Central). However, what use is there for repo_3 and repo_4?
I guess one could ignore repo_3 and repo_4 if one has no use for it. What am I missing?
repo_2 is a REST end-point used to deploy artifacts too, you would not configure maven to fetch artifacts from this url. Users will fetch artifacts using the repo_3 url. When artifacts are staged, the repository of the staged artifacts will be in the staging group under repo_4. This is useful to help verify your staged artifacts are as desired before promoting them. Some example config here: http://search.maven.org/remotecontent?filepath=org/sonatype/oss/oss-parent/7... Many projects using this repository actually make this their parent, but you don't need to do that if you don't want. Oh, also keep in mind that you *must* GPG sign everything deployed, or NX will reject the artifacts. --jason