DevTools VS

npm vs pnpm

Updated Apr 26, 2026

Quick Verdict

pnpm has 3.6x more GitHub stars.

GitHub Stars
npm 9.7K
vs
pnpm 34.7K
Downloads/wk
npm N/A
vs
pnpm 0
Contributors
npm 984
vs
pnpm 404
Bundle Size
npm N/A
vs
pnpm N/A

The default package manager for Node.js

package-managernodejsregistrydefault

Fast, disk space efficient package manager

package-managerfastefficientstrict

Detailed Comparison

Side-by-side metrics from GitHub and npm

Metric
npm
pnpm
GitHub Stars
9.7K
34.7K
Weekly Downloads
N/A
0
Forks
4.3K
1.4K
Open Issues
634
2.2K
Contributors
984
404
Bundle Size (gzip)
N/A
N/A
Dependencies
N/A
0
Latest Version
N/A
10.33.2
Last Commit
Apr 23, 2026
Apr 24, 2026
License
NOASSERTION
MIT
First Published
Jul 5, 2018
Mar 8, 2013

Feature Comparison

Framework capabilities at a glance

Feature
npm
pnpm
Workspaces
Lockfile
Pnp
Scripts
Patching
Fast

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about npm vs pnpm

Is npm better than pnpm?

It depends on your use case. npm is the default package manager for node.js, while pnpm is fast, disk space efficient package manager. Compare the stats and features above to decide which fits your needs.

Is npm still maintained in 2026?

Yes, npm was last updated on April 23, 2026 and has 984 contributors.

Can I migrate from npm to pnpm?

Migration complexity depends on how deeply npm is integrated into your project. Both tools serve similar purposes in the Package Managers space, so migration is generally feasible with proper planning.

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