Build, cook, stage, package, deploy

Phase	Produces	Diagnose here when
Build	target binaries/modules	compile, link, module, architecture, or symbol failure
Cook	platform-ready assets/registry/shaders	serializer, asset, map, validation, DDC, or inclusion failure
Stage	runnable directory assembled from products	missing config, DLL, movie, prerequisite, or wrong file class
Package	native distributable/container set	signing, compression, container, store-format failure
Deploy	copy/install to device	connection, account, capacity, permission, or install failure
Run	launched staged build	startup, default map, runtime dependency, config, or content failure

The standard packaging pipeline is executed by AutomationTool BuildCookRun. Use the editor for a quick smoke build, Project Launcher for a reviewable profile, and UAT/BuildGraph for CI.

For an isolated cook, Epic documents:

UnrealEditor-Cmd.exe <Project.uproject> -run=cook -targetplatform=<Platform> -map=<MapA>+<MapB>

Do not paste a generic release command blindly. Create the intended Project Launcher profile, execute once, capture its generated BuildCookRun command, then parameterize only project, platform, output, version, and credentials in CI. Query the installed engine with RunUAT.bat BuildCookRun -Help before adding flags.

Archive outside the source tree. Keep stage and archive paths unique per build identity so stale files cannot satisfy the next build accidentally.