pnpm – a Fast, Disk Space Efficient Package Manager for JavaScript - Zoltan Kochan, DevOps.js Conf

Meet pnpm, a fast and disk space efficient package manager for JavaScript that solves issues like slow speeds and disk space consumption, with a unique node module structure and support from Bit and big tech companies.

Key takeaways
  • pnpm is a fast and disk space efficient package manager for JavaScript.
  • It is designed to solve the issues of npm and yarn, such as slow speeds and disk space consumption.
  • pnpm uses a content-addressable storage to store node modules, which allows for faster installation and access to dependencies.
  • It also uses hard links to reduce disk space consumption, making it a more efficient package manager.
  • pnpm has a unique node module structure that keeps dependencies isolated and prevents conflicts between projects.
  • It is also designed to work well with monorepos, where multiple projects share dependencies.
  • pnpm prevents common mistakes such as undeclared dependencies and hoisting of node modules.
  • It also prevents nvre-require and other dependencies that are not declared as dependencies of your project.
  • pnpm is bundled as an executable and does not require Node.js to be installed separately.
  • It is supported by Bit, a company that helps developers do component-based development, and is used by many big tech companies.
  • pnpm is less popular than npm and yarn, but it has gained popularity in recent years, with 3x more downloads in 2021 than in 2020.
  • It is recommended to learn about each package manager’s features and use the one that best fits your needs.