NPM vs NPX vs PNPM | A Beginner’s Guide to JavaScript Package Managers

If you’re new to JavaScript development, you’ve probably encountered these three terms: npm, npx, and pnpm. While they might look similar, they serve different purposes in the JavaScript ecosystem. Let’s break down what each one does and when to use them.

What Are Package Managers?

Before diving into the specifics, let’s understand what package managers do. Think of them as app stores for code. Instead of downloading apps to your phone, package managers help you download and manage code libraries called “packages” for your projects.

For example, if you want to add a date picker to your website, instead of writing one from scratch, you can use a package manager to download a pre-built date picker that someone else created and shared.

NPM: The Original Package Manager

NPM (Node Package Manager) is the granddaddy of JavaScript package managers. It comes automatically installed when you install Node.js on your computer.

What NPM Does?

• Downloads packages: Install libraries and tools your project needs
• Manages dependencies: Keeps track of which packages your project uses
• Runs scripts: Execute commands defined in your project
• Publishes packages: Share your own code with the world

Basic NPM Commands?

# Install a package for your project
npm install react

# Install a package globally (available system-wide)
npm install -g nodemon

# Install all packages listed in package.json
npm install

# Run a script defined in package.json
npm run start

# Create a new project
npm init

How NPM Works

When you install packages, NPM creates a node_modules folder in your project and downloads all the code there. It also creates a package-lock.json file that remembers exactly which versions of packages you installed, ensuring everyone working on your project gets the same versions.

NPX: The Package Runner

NPX (Node Package Execute) is NPM’s younger sibling that focuses on running packages rather than installing them permanently.

What NPX Does?

• Runs packages temporarily: Execute tools without installing them globally
• Runs local binaries: Execute tools installed in your project
• Always uses latest version: Downloads and runs the most recent version of a package

When to Use NPX

NPX is perfect for:

• One-time commands
• Creating new projects
• Running tools you don’t use often
• Testing packages before installing them

NPX Examples:

# Create a new React app (without installing create-react-app globally)
npx create-react-app my-website

# Run a local development server
npx serve

# Check for outdated packages
npx npm-check-updates

# Run a linter on your code
npx eslint src/

Why Use NPX?

Imagine you want to create a React app. The old way required:

npm install -g create-react-app  # Install globally
create-react-app my-app          # Create app

With NPX, you can do it in one step:

npx create-react-app my-app  # Download, run, and clean up

NPX downloads the tool, runs it, and then cleans up after itself. No global installation needed!

PNPM: The Fast and Efficient Alternative

PNPM (Performant NPM) is a newer package manager that aims to solve some of NPM’s problems, particularly around speed and disk space usage.

What Makes PNPM Special?

• Faster installations: Downloads and installs packages quicker than NPM
• Saves disk space: Uses a clever linking system to avoid duplicating packages
• Stricter security: Prevents accessing packages you didn’t explicitly install
• Compatible: Works with most NPM packages and commands

How PNPM Saves Space

Traditional NPM installs a separate copy of each package in every project. If you have 10 projects that all use React, you’ll have 10 copies of React on your computer.

PNPM stores packages in a global location and creates links to them in your projects. So you only need one copy of React, no matter how many projects use it.

PNPM Commands

# Install a package (similar to npm install)
pnpm add react

# Install all dependencies
pnpm install

# Run scripts
pnpm run start

# Remove a package
pnpm remove react

# Install packages globally
pnpm add -g nodemon

PNPM vs NPM: The Numbers

• Speed: PNPM is typically 2-3x faster than NPM
• Disk usage: PNPM can save 50-90% disk space compared to NPM
• Memory usage: PNPM uses less RAM during installation

Which One Should You Use?

For Beginners Start with NPM, because it comes with Node.js (no extra installation) Most tutorials and documentation assume you’re using NPM It has the widest compatibility You’ll find more help online when you run into issues.

When to Consider NPX:

Use NPX when you want to:

• Run a command once without installing it globally
• Create new projects
• Test packages before committing to them
• Keep your global package installations clean

When to Consider PNPM:

Switch to PNPM when:

• You’re working on multiple projects and want to save disk space
• Installation speed becomes important to you
• You want stricter dependency management
• You’re comfortable with occasionally troubleshooting compatibility issues

Key Takeaways

1. NPM is the standard package manager – learn this first
2. NPX is great for running commands without permanent installation
3. PNPM is a faster, more efficient alternative to NPM
4. You can use NPX with any package manager (npm, pnpm, or yarn)
5. All three can coexist on your system

Getting Started

If you’re just starting out

1. Install Node.js (this gives you NPM and NPX automatically)
2. Practice basic NPM commands
3. Try NPX for creating new projects Consider
4. PNPM later when you want better performance

Remember, these are tools to make your development life easier. Don’t worry about mastering all three immediately – start with NPM and gradually explore the others as you become more comfortable with JavaScript development.

The most important thing is to start building projects and learning. The package manager you choose is less important than the code you write!