NPM vs Yarn vs PNPM: Why so many?

If you are a JavaScript developer, chances are you have a favourite package manager from the number of choices that exist. NPM, Yarn, and PNPM all package managers that aim to do the same job:

1. Manage project dependencies. But they do it in different ways, each with its own tradeoffs.

In this article, I’ll break down how these package managers work, what makes each one great (especially why we as devs say this one is better than this), and which is the smartest choice for modern development in 2025.

If you’re ready to find out. Then keep reading.

The Core of the Problem: Managing Node Modules

Every package manager for JavaScript solves the same core issue: downloading dependencies from the npm registry and making sure they play nicely together in a project. This may sound like a simple thing to do, but the Node.js ecosystem is notorious for deep, bloated node_modules trees, long install times, and version conflicts. That’s where these tools start to differentiate.

NPM: The Original, the Default, the Standard

First released: 2010

Current version: 10.x (as of 2025)

Bundled with: Node.js

NPM is the OG. It comes preinstalled with Node.js and is still the most widely used package manager by raw numbers. Over the years, NPM has improved significantly with better caching, package-lock.json for consistent installs, and support for workspaces. But it has a major problem of being slow for larger projects and less effective when it comes to managing disk usage. For clarity, let’s consider some of the Pros and Cons.

Pros:

• It is ubiquitous and universally supported
• It is simpler onboarding for beginners
• npm audit and security tools built-in
• It has a large ecosystem and strong community

Cons:

• It is slower than Yarn and PNPM in larger projects
• It is less efficient disk usage compared to PNPM

Ideal for: Beginners, simple projects, and teams who want zero setup beyond Node.js

Yarn: Speed, Determinism, and Better UX

First released: 2016 by Facebook

Current version: Yarn 4 (Berry)

Before talking about Yarn, I’m just impressed with how Facebook has really given us developers some interesting tools and frameworks, and we are grateful for it. Let’s talk about yarn though.

Yarn came onto the scene promising faster installs and better determinism. It was the first to introduce lockfiles (yarn.lock) and offline caching. With Yarn 2 and later (Berry), the project became far more opinionated. Yarn now uses a plugin-based architecture, strict PnP (Plug-n-Play) resolution by default (no node_modules!), and its own configuration style.

Pros:

• It has fast install times, especially with PnP
• It supports Deterministic builds
• It has great monorepo support with workspaces
• It supports Plug-in architecture for customization

Cons:

• It has a steep learning curve post the first version of Yarn. (This might not be a problem for most people reading this though, but I just had to add it here.)
• It requires config/setup to work with many tools
• There are known compatibility issues with some legacy packages

Ideal for: Large-scale projects, monorepos, advanced developers who want control.

PNPM: Speed + Storage Efficiency = Game Changer

First released: 2016 by Zoltan Kochan

Current version: 9.x (as of 2025)

pnpmis my current package manager and I can say it is what I write in this article.

PNPM solves one of the biggest inefficiencies in Node.js, the issue of duplication. Instead of copying dependencies into each project, PNPM uses a global content-addressable store. Dependencies are linked using hard links and symlinks, dramatically reducing disk space usage. You might wonder why this took long to implement? I asked myself the same question too.

Another interesting thing about pnpm is that it enforces strict dependency rules by default, preventing packages from accessing dependencies they haven’t declared.

Pros:

• Blazing fast installs
• Minimal disk usage
• Strict and safe dependency resolution
• First-class workspace and monorepo support

Cons:

• Smaller ecosystem than Yarn and NPM
• Still not the default in most tooling
• Some older tools assume traditional node_modules

Ideal for: Power users, large projects, teams managing multiple apps or libraries

Real-World Performance Benchmarks

Across various open-source benchmarks and internal reports from dev teams in 2024–2025, the numbers speak for themselves.

While actual numbers vary by project, PNPM consistently comes out ahead on speed and space. Yarn trails closely, especially with PnP mode enabled. NPM lags, though it’s caught up a lot in recent years.

Developer Preferences in 2025

Surveys and GitHub trends show that PNPM has surged in popularity over the past two years. While NPM still dominates due to default usage with Node.js, many mid-size to large teams are switching to PNPM for better performance and stricter dependency isolation.

Yarn remains strong in enterprise settings and monorepos, but its PnP system and complexity can turn off devs who want simplicity.

According to an Excerpt from StackOverflow Developer Survey 2025:

• NPM has 55% popularity
• PNPM has 32% popularity
• Yarn has 22% popularity

So, Which One Should You Use?

Use NPM if:

• You want simplicity and compatibility
• You’re working on small projects or teaching beginners

Use Yarn if:

• You need advanced workspace features and plug-in extensibility
• You’re okay with its PnP approach and willing to configure around it

Use PNPM if:

• You want raw speed and disk efficiency
• You’re working in monorepos or CI-heavy environments
• You care about strict, safe dependency boundaries

Conclusion

In 2025, PNPM is the best all-around choice for most developers. It’s fast, efficient, and increasingly well-supported across the ecosystem.

And I’ll end with this, unless you’re tied to NPM or need Yarn’s specific features, PNPM deserves your serious consideration.**

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