npm vs pnpm
Updated Oct 25, 2026
Quick Verdict
pnpm has 3.6x more GitHub stars.
GitHub Stars
npm 10.2K
vs
pnpm 36.9K
Downloads/wk
npm N/A
vs
pnpm 76.2M
Contributors
npm 1.0K
vs
pnpm 727
Bundle Size
npm N/A
vs
pnpm N/A
Detailed Comparison
Side-by-side metrics from GitHub and npm
Metric
npm
pnpm
GitHub Stars
10.2K
36.9K
Weekly Downloads
N/A
76.2M
Forks
4.9K
2.0K
Open Issues
842
209
Contributors
1.0K
727
Bundle Size (gzip)
N/A
N/A
Dependencies
N/A
0
Latest Version
N/A
12.15.0
Last Commit
Oct 23, 2026
Oct 25, 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 October 23, 2026 and has 1,022 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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