PNPM vs Yarn vs NPM: Which Node Package Manager is Best?
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PNPM vs Yarn vs NPM: Which Node Package Manager is Best?

Publish Date: May 9
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Recently, I was searching for a Next.js boilerplate to build a Chrome extension for tracking crypto scams. But I quickly realized that Next.js isn’t ideal for Chrome extensions—its architecture and bundling system aren’t optimized for that use case.

After some research, I discovered that Vite + React was a better fit, and I found a great boilerplate that used PNPM as its package manager. That got me thinking: Why PNPM? Why not Yarn or NPM, which I’ve used before?

So, I dug deeper into the differences between these package managers. Here’s what I learned—and which one you should choose.

🏆 The Contenders: NPM, Yarn, and PNPM

1. NPM (Node Package Manager)

  • Default package manager bundled with Node.js
  • Largest package ecosystem
  • Improved significantly in recent years (faster, more reliable)

2. Yarn

  • Created by Facebook to solve NPM’s early performance issues
  • Introduced the yarn.lock file (later adopted by NPM)
  • Now in Yarn Berry (v2+) with Plug’n’Play support

3. PNPM (Performant NPM)

  • Uses content-addressable storage for efficiency
  • Avoids duplicate dependencies via hard linking
  • Gaining rapid adoption (used by Vue.js, Vite, and others)

⚡ Performance Benchmarks

Metric NPM Yarn PNPM
Install Time Slow Fast Fastest
Disk Usage High Medium Lowest
CI/CD Speed Slow Fast Fastest

Why PNPM wins in speed & storage?

✔ Uses a global store to avoid redundant downloads

✔ Hard links dependencies instead of copying them

✔ Only fetches missing packages (great for CI/CD)

🔒 Reliability & Lock Files

All three use lock files for consistent installations:

  • NPM: package-lock.json
  • Yarn: yarn.lock
  • PNPM: pnpm-lock.yaml

Modern NPM is now reliable, but Yarn & PNPM were pioneers in deterministic installs.

🧩 Feature Comparison

Feature NPM Yarn PNPM
Workspaces ✅⭐
Offline Mode
Plug’n’Play
Strict Mode
Monorepo Support ✅⭐

PNPM’s strict mode prevents phantom dependencies (using packages not listed in package.json), reducing hidden bugs.

📦 Disk Space Efficiency

PNPM is a game-changer for storage:

  • Stores one copy of each package globally
  • Uses hard links across projects
  • Can save gigabytes if you work with multiple repos

🏗️ Monorepo Support

All three support monorepos, but:

  • NPM: Basic workspace functionality
  • Yarn: Advanced tooling (good for large teams)
  • PNPM: Best performance + strict dependency checks

Big projects like Vue.js and Prisma have switched to PNPM for its speed and reliability.

🛠️ Developer Experience

  • NPM: Simple, universal, but slower
  • Yarn: Clean CLI, Plug’n’Play support
  • PNPM: Feels like NPM but much faster

🔮 Final Verdict: Which One Should You Use?

Use NPM if…

  • You want zero setup (it’s preinstalled with Node)
  • You’re working on a small project
  • You need maximum compatibility

Use Yarn if…

  • You’re already using it and happy
  • You need Plug’n’Play (PnP) support
  • You prefer Yarn’s command syntax

Use PNPM if…

  • You care about performance & disk space
  • You work in a monorepo
  • You want strict dependency control
  • You’re starting a new project

🚀 My Recommendation

For new projects, PNPM is the best choice. It’s faster, more efficient, and prevents dependency issues better than NPM/Yarn. Migration is easy, and the benefits are huge—especially for larger apps.

That said, all three are solid options, and the competition has pushed each to improve.

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