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β‘ Why is

Why pnpm is Faster than npm
Ankit Kumar / June 24, 2025
β‘ Why is pnpm
Faster than npm
?
Both are package managers, but pnpm wins in speed and efficiency due to how it stores and links packages.
π§ Key Differences
1. π¦ Shared Global Store with Hard Links
pnpm
doesnβt duplicate packages across projects.- Uses a global content-addressable store.
- Projects receive hard links to the global packages.
β Less disk space
β Faster install times
2. π Immutable Package Store
- Packages are read-only once installed.
- Guarantees safe, reliable caching.
3. 𧬠Strict Dependency Resolution
- Enforces that each package only accesses what it explicitly depends on.
- Helps avoid hidden bugs.
4. ποΈ Faster Repeated Installs
- Cached packages make reinstalling almost instant.
- No need to re-download or re-copy files.
π Quick Comparison Table
π Feature | π§° npm | β‘ pnpm |
---|---|---|
Disk Usage | πΊ High (copies files) | π» Low (shared via links) |
Speed | π’ Slower | π Much faster |
Dependency Isolation | β Flat | β Strict & clean |
Global Cache | β οΈ Limited | β Smart and efficient |
Monorepo Support | β οΈ Okay | β Excellent |
β Summary
Use pnpm
if you want:
- π Faster installs
- πΎ Less disk usage
- π Safer dependency resolution
- π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ Better monorepo support
To get started:
npm install -g pnpm
pnpm install