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pnpm – Fast, Disk-Efficient Package Manager

What is pnpm?​

pnpm is a fast, disk-efficient JavaScript package manager.
It is compatible with npm and Yarn but uses a different dependency storage model that saves disk space and improves install speed.

🚀 Why Use pnpm?​

  • Much faster installs
  • Saves disk space using a global content-addressable store
  • Strict dependency resolution (prevents phantom dependencies)
  • Fully compatible with npm ecosystem
  • Works with monorepos out of the box

📦 Installing pnpm​

Using Corepack (recommended):

corepack enable
corepack prepare pnpm@latest --activate

Or via npm:

npm install -g pnpm

🔄 Converting an Existing Project to pnpm​

pnpm provides a dedicated command for migration:

✅ pnpm import​

This command converts existing lockfiles into a pnpm-lock.yaml.

From npm (package-lock.json)​

pnpm import
pnpm install
  • Reads package-lock.json
  • Generates pnpm-lock.yaml
  • Preserves dependency versions

From Yarn (yarn.lock)​

pnpm import
pnpm install
  • Reads yarn.lock
  • Converts it to pnpm-lock.yaml
  • No need to delete files beforehand

🧠 How pnpm import Works​

  • Converts lockfiles without reinstalling immediately
  • Ensures version parity with existing dependency tree
  • Ideal for large or production projects
  • Safer than deleting lockfiles manually

⚠️ Notes After Importing​

  • You may delete old lockfiles after verifying:

    package-lock.json
    yarn.lock

  • Some packages may fail if they rely on undeclared dependencies

  • This is expected and improves long-term stability

📂 pnpm Store Location​

pnpm stores packages globally and links them:

~/.pnpm-store

Multiple projects can share the same dependencies without duplication.

🧪 Useful pnpm Commands​

pnpm install        # Install dependencies
pnpm add <pkg>      # Add a dependency
pnpm add -D <pkg>   # Add a dev dependency
pnpm remove <pkg>   # Remove a dependency
pnpm update         # Update dependencies
pnpm run <script>   # Run package.json scripts

🧠 When pnpm Shines​

  • Monorepos
  • Large projects
  • CI environments
  • Disk-constrained systems
  • Teams that want dependency correctness

🔗 Learn More​