About pnpm
pnpm is an open source package manager for JavaScript projects. It stores each package once on disk and links it into every project that needs it, and it works as a drop-in option for npm in most projects.
What it does
pnpm installs dependencies from a shared content store, so a package version is kept on disk once even when many projects use it. It creates links into each project's node_modules, which keeps installs fast when the store is warm. It supports workspaces for monorepos, along with overrides, patches and a lockfile you can read.
Key features
- Shared content store that saves disk space
- Fast installs with parallel resolution and fetching
- Workspaces for monorepos
- Overrides and patches for dependencies
- Drop-in replacement for common npm commands
Who it's for
Developers and teams with several projects or large monorepos who want faster installs and less disk use. It is also a common choice for open source projects.
Pricing and good to know
pnpm is free and open source under the MIT license. Some projects that rely on unusual npm behaviour may need small changes, so test your installs and scripts after switching. The project publishes benchmarks against npm, which are worth checking against your own project.
Highlights
- Shared content store that saves disk space
- Fast installs with parallel resolution and fetching
- Workspaces for managing monorepos
- Overrides and patches for dependencies
- Drop-in replacement for common npm commands
