Pnpm Vs. Npm Vs. Yarn- Key Differences And Which One You Should Use In 2025

Welcome to the ultimate Node.js package manager showdown—Pnpm vs. Npm vs. Yarn! If you're a developer, you've probably heard these names thrown around, but which one should you actually use in 2025?

Let’s break it down in a way that’s easy to understand, engaging, and maybe even a little fun. Because, let’s be honest—package managers don’t exactly scream "thrill ride," but choosing the right one can save you time, headaches, and storage space.

🚀 The Big Three: What Are They?

When working with Node.js, you need a way to manage and install packages (also called dependencies). That’s where package managers come in. These tools help you install, update, and manage external libraries and frameworks so that you don’t have to manually download and configure everything.

In the world of Node.js development, three package managers dominate: Npm, Yarn, and Pnpm. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and knowing which one to use can make a big difference in your project's speed, efficiency, and overall experience.

Let’s break them down.

🔹 Npm (Node Package Manager)

Npm is the default package manager that comes bundled with Node.js, which means that if you’ve installed Node.js, you already have Npm. It was the first package manager for Node.js and remains one of the most widely used.

✅ Pros of Npm:

✔ Easy to use – Since it comes pre-installed with Node.js, you don’t need any extra setup.
✔ Massive package repository – Npm’s registry hosts millions of packages, making it the largest ecosystem.
✔ Widespread adoption – Because it’s the default package manager, almost all tutorials, documentation, and frameworks support it.

❌ Cons of Npm:

⛔ Performance issues – Earlier versions of Npm were notoriously slow, especially when installing large dependencies.
⛔ Security vulnerabilities – Some historical security flaws have made developers cautious.
⛔ Redundant dependency storage – Npm stores each project’s dependencies in a separate node_modules folder, leading to wasted disk space and slower performance.

👉 When to use Npm?
If you just need something simple and don’t want to install an extra package manager, Npm is fine. But if you want something faster and more efficient, keep reading.

🔹 Yarn (Yet Another Resource Negotiator)

Yarn was developed by Facebook (now Meta) as a response to Npm’s performance and security issues. It was designed to be a better, faster, and more reliable alternative to Npm.

✅ Pros of Yarn:

✔ Faster installations – Unlike Npm, Yarn downloads packages in parallel, reducing install times.
✔ Workspaces support – Yarn workspace is a powerful feature that makes it easier to manage monorepos (multiple packages within a single project).
✔ Improved security – Yarn verifies package integrity before installation, reducing the risk of installing compromised dependencies.
✔ Offline caching – If a package has already been installed once, Yarn saves a cached copy, meaning it doesn’t need to be downloaded again.

❌ Cons of Yarn:

⛔ More complex setup – While Yarn improves performance, you need to install it separately.
⛔ Yarn v4 has performance issues – Some developers have reported that Yarn v4 is slow, particularly when compared to Pnpm.

👉 When to use Yarn?
If you’re working on large-scale projects, monorepos, or want faster package installs, Yarn is a solid choice. But there’s an even more efficient alternative…

🔹 Pnpm (Performant Npm)

Pnpm is the newest of the three, but it has quickly gained popularity because of its unique approach to package management. Unlike Npm and Yarn, which store dependencies in a node_modules folder inside each project, Pnpm creates a global store and uses symlinks to reference dependencies. This makes installations much faster and more space-efficient.

✅ Pros of Pnpm:

✔ Faster than both Npm and Yarn – It uses hard links and symlinks to install dependencies without duplication.
✔ Saves tons of disk space – Instead of downloading and storing duplicate packages for every project, Pnpm shares dependencies across projects.
✔ Great for monorepos – Like Yarn, Pnpm supports workspaces, making it a great choice for large-scale applications.
✔ Stronger dependency resolution – Pnpm ensures that packages use only explicitly installed dependencies, reducing conflicts.

❌ Cons of Pnpm:

⛔ Not the default – Unlike Npm, you need to install Pnpm manually.
⛔ Some tools don’t support it yet – While adoption is growing, some older tools might not fully support Pnpm.

👉 When to use Pnpm?
If you care about speed, storage efficiency, and better dependency management, Pnpm is the best choice in 2025.

🆚 Head-to-Head: Pnpm vs. Npm vs. Yarn

Now that we know what these Node.js package managers are, it’s time for a real showdown! We’ll compare them across key factors like speed, disk space, security, and ease of use to determine which one reigns supreme in 2025.

⚡ Speed: Who Wins the Race?

Speed is a crucial factor for developers—no one wants to wait forever for dependencies to install. Let’s see how our three contenders perform:

🚀 Npm: The Slow & Steady Contender

• How it installs? Sequentially downloads and installs packages one after the other.
• Why is it slow? Every time you run npm install, it fetches packages from the registry and installs them from scratch, even if they were previously installed.
• Caching? Limited caching, making re-installs slower.

⚡ Yarn: The Speed Booster

• How it installs? Uses parallel installations (multiple dependencies are installed at the same time).
• Why is it faster than Npm? Thanks to offline caching, Yarn doesn’t redownload dependencies if they’ve been installed before.
• Caching? Yes! If a package is already downloaded, Yarn fetches it from the local cache instead of the internet.

⚡🔥 Pnpm: The Fastest of Them All!

• How it installs? Uses hard links & symlinks instead of copying dependencies to each project.
• Why is it the fastest? Instead of downloading the same package multiple times, Pnpm stores packages globally and links them into projects, making it blazing fast.
• Caching? Yes, but even smarter! Since packages are globally stored, they don’t have to be reinstalled across different projects.

👉 Winner: Pnpm 🏆 (fastest install times, smartest caching system).

💡 Fun Fact: If you’re working on a huge monorepo or a large project with lots of dependencies, Pnpm can be up to 2-3 times faster than Npm and Yarn! 🚀

💾 Disk Space: Who’s the Most Efficient?

If you’ve ever wondered why your node_modules folder is ridiculously large, you’re not alone. Let’s see how each package manager handles disk usage.

🗃️ Npm: Disk Space Eater

• How it stores dependencies? Creates a full copy of each dependency inside node_modules, leading to huge storage usage.
• Why is it bad? If you have multiple projects using the same dependency, each project stores its own version, leading to massive duplication.

📦 Yarn: Slightly Better, But Still Bloated

• How it stores dependencies? Similar to Npm but with improved caching, meaning it doesn’t always need to download packages again.
• Is it better than Npm? Yes, but it still creates duplicate dependencies across projects.

🎯 Pnpm: The Ultimate Space Saver

• How it stores dependencies? Instead of creating a full copy for each project, Pnpm uses global storage and simply links dependencies using symlinks.
• Why is it better? Even if 10 different projects use the same package, Pnpm stores it only once!

👉 Winner: Pnpm 🏆 (saves massive amounts of disk space!)

💡 Real-World Example:
If you have 50 Node.js projects using Express.js, Npm and Yarn will store 50 copies of Express (huge waste!).
Meanwhile, Pnpm will store only one copy and link it to all projects, saving gigabytes of disk space.

🔒 Security: Who Keeps Your Code Safe?

Security is more important than ever, especially when using third-party dependencies.

🔥 Npm: Historically Vulnerable

• Issues? Npm has faced multiple security incidents, such as dependency hijacking and malicious package injections.
• Does it warn about vulnerabilities? Yes, Npm includes npm audit to check for security issues, but it wasn’t always reliable.

🛡️ Yarn: More Secure by Default

• What makes it better? Yarn introduced checksum verification, meaning it ensures that packages haven’t been tampered with before installing them.
• Does it warn about vulnerabilities? Yes, Yarn audit works similarly to npm audit.

🔐 Pnpm: Security + Consistency

• Best of both worlds: Pnpm also validates package integrity and prevents dependency conflicts.
• Unique Feature: Pnpm enforces strict dependency resolution, meaning it ensures each project only gets the exact versions of dependencies specified.

👉 Winner: Tie between Yarn & Pnpm 🔒 (both have better security measures than Npm).

🏗️ Monorepo Support: Best for Large-Scale Projects?

If you work with monorepos (multiple packages within a single repo), choosing the right package manager is crucial.

🚧 Npm: Basic Support for Monorepos

• Does it support workspaces? Yes, but it’s not as optimized as Yarn or Pnpm.
• Good enough? It works, but dependency management isn’t as smooth.

🏗️ Yarn: The Monorepo Champion

• Best feature? Yarn workspaces make monorepos easy to manage.
• Why is it great? Reduces duplication by sharing dependencies between packages.

🔥 Pnpm: The Best of Both Worlds

• Supports workspaces like Yarn, but… does it even better!
• Why? Since Pnpm links dependencies instead of duplicating them, monorepos become more efficient.

👉 Winner: Pnpm 🏆 (slightly better performance than Yarn).

Which One Should You Use in 2025?

Now, the million-dollar question: Should you use Npm, Yarn, or Pnpm in 2025?

👉 Use Npm if:
✅ You want something simple and don’t care about speed or disk space.
✅ You don’t want to install an extra package manager.

👉 Use Yarn if:
✅ You work on large projects or monorepos.
✅ You prefer faster installs than Npm.
✅ You need better security (especially with Yarn registry).

👉 Use Pnpm if:
✅ You want the fastest installs and minimal disk usage.
✅ You manage a large codebase or multiple projects.
✅ You love cutting-edge developer tools.

📢 Final Verdict:

• If you’re new to web development, stick with Npm for now.
• If you work on monorepos or large-scale applications, go for Yarn.
• If you want the best performance and efficiency, Pnpm is the future.

Common Questions (FAQs)

🤔 Yarn v4 is slow?

Yes, some users have reported performance issues with Yarn v4 compared to older versions. Pnpm is often faster.

🤔 Yarn install vs Npm install: What’s better?

• Yarn install is usually faster due to parallel execution.
• Npm install is slower but simpler.
• Pnpm install is fastest and saves disk space.

🤔 Pnpm vs Bun – Should I switch?

Bun is the newest package manager and is crazy fast. But Pnpm is more stable and has better compatibility with existing projects.

🤔 Yarn vs Npm vs Pnpm: Which one is best for Node.js developers?

• For beginners → Npm
• For monorepos → Yarn
• For speed & efficiency → Pnpm

Wrapping Up: What’s Next?

Now that you’ve got a solid understanding of Npm, Yarn, and Pnpm, it’s time to pick your package manager and start building amazing things. 🚀

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