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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
pnpmdoesnβt 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