DevTools VS

Lerna vs pnpm Workspaces

Updated Mar 4, 2026

Quick Verdict

Both Lerna and pnpm Workspaces are popular choices in the Monorepo Tools space.

GitHub Stars
Lerna 36.1K
vs
pnpm Workspaces 34.2K
Downloads/wk
Lerna 0
vs
pnpm Workspaces 0
Contributors
Lerna 364
vs
pnpm Workspaces 390
Bundle Size
Lerna N/A
vs
pnpm Workspaces N/A

Lerna

Website

A tool for managing JavaScript monorepos with multi-package repositories

monorepoversioningpublishingworkspaces

pnpm Workspaces

Website

Built-in workspace support in pnpm package manager

monorepopnpmworkspaceslightweight

Detailed Comparison

Side-by-side metrics from GitHub and npm

Metric
Lerna
pnpm Workspaces
GitHub Stars
36.1K
34.2K
Weekly Downloads
0
0
Forks
2.3K
1.3K
Open Issues
383
2.1K
Contributors
364
390
Bundle Size (gzip)
N/A
N/A
Dependencies
77
0
Latest Version
9.0.5
10.30.3
Last Commit
Feb 28, 2026
Mar 4, 2026
License
MIT
MIT
First Published
Dec 4, 2015
Mar 8, 2013

Feature Comparison

Framework capabilities at a glance

Feature
Lerna
pnpm Workspaces
Caching
Parallel
Task Pipeline
Plugins
Generators
Affected

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Lerna vs pnpm Workspaces

Is Lerna better than pnpm Workspaces?

It depends on your use case. Lerna is a tool for managing javascript monorepos with multi-package repositories, while pnpm Workspaces is built-in workspace support in pnpm package manager. Compare the stats and features above to decide which fits your needs.

Is Lerna still maintained in 2026?

Yes, Lerna was last updated on February 28, 2026 and has 364 contributors.

Can I migrate from Lerna to pnpm Workspaces?

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

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