📚 2 min read

Package Managers Overview

Package managers are essential tools in modern web development, helping you manage project dependencies, handle version control, and maintain consistent development environments.

Popular Package Managers

npm (Node Package Manager)

• The default package manager for Node.js
• Largest package registry in the world
• Simple and widely supported
• Workspaces support for monorepos

Yarn

• Created by Facebook
• Faster than npm (v1)
• Better security features
• Plug'n'Play for improved performance
• Workspaces support

pnpm

• Performance-focused package manager
• Efficient disk space usage
• Strict dependency management
• Great monorepo support
• Compatible with npm and Yarn workflows

Bun

• All-in-one JavaScript runtime and package manager
• Extremely fast installation speeds
• Native bundler and transpiler
• Compatible with npm packages
• Built-in test runner

Key Features Comparison

Feature	npm	Yarn	pnpm	Bun
Lock File	package-lock.json	yarn.lock	pnpm-lock.yaml	bun.lockb
Workspaces	✅	✅	✅	✅
PnP Support	❌	✅	❌	❌
Disk Efficiency	Basic	Better	Best	Good
Install Speed	Slow	Medium	Fast	Fastest
Registry	npmjs.com	npmjs.com	npmjs.com	npmjs.com
Offline Mode	✅	✅	✅	✅
Security	Basic	Better	Better	Basic

Choosing a Package Manager

Consider these factors when selecting a package manager:

1. Project Size

   • Small projects: npm or Yarn is sufficient
   • Large projects: pnpm or Yarn for better dependency management
   • Monorepos: pnpm or Yarn workspaces

2. Team Experience

   • npm is most familiar to developers
   • Yarn has similar commands to npm
   • pnpm requires some learning but offers benefits
   • Bun is newest but promising for performance

3. Performance Requirements

   • Basic needs: npm is adequate
   • Better performance: Yarn
   • Best disk space efficiency: pnpm
   • Fastest installation: Bun

4. Security Needs

   • Basic: npm
   • Enhanced: Yarn or pnpm
   • Custom security policies: Yarn

Getting Started

Choose a package manager from the sidebar to learn more about its specific features, best practices, and how to get started. If you're migrating between package managers, check out our migration guides for smooth transitions.