# Private directory for local packages The content of this directory is ignored by Git. This is the place to store the local packages that you define in the `dotspacemacs-additional-packages` variable of your dotfile. Additional packages can be added using the same recipe as for [adding packages to layers](https://develop.spacemacs.org/doc/LAYERS.html#packagesel) i.e.: - For a local package: - Load the file explicitly, using the full path to the file, by placing a `(load "~/.emacs.d/private/local/package-name")` within the body of the `dotspacemacs/user-config` function of your dotspacemacs file. - Alternatively create a directory with the name of the package in the `.emacs.d/private/local` directory, and add that directory to the load-path variable by adding `(some-package :location local)` to the list `dotspacemacs-additional-packages` within the `dotspacemacs/layers` function of your dotspacemacs file. After placing your package file into this package-directory the file can be loaded, without requiring the full path, by placing a `(require 'package-name)` within the body of the `dotspacemacs/user-config` function of your dotspacemacs file. - If the package is on (M)ELPA simply add the package name to the list `dotspacemacs-additional-packages` in your dotspacemacs file - For a package hosted on github the recipe for github packages can be used i.e. add ``` (some-package :location (recipe :fetcher github :repo "some/repo")) ``` to the list `dotspacemacs-additional-packages` in your dotspacemacs file.