Benchmarks of JavaScript Package Managers

Last benchmarked at: Jun 14, 2026, 3:53 AM (daily updated).

This benchmark compares the performance of npm, pnpm, Yarn Classic, and Yarn PnP (check Yarn's benchmarks for any other Yarn modes that are not included here).

Each row's label lists which of cache, lockfile, and node_modules are warm/present before install runs. Quick mapping to the real world (ordered from slowest to fastest scenario):

clean: a brand-new clone — nothing cached, no lockfile, no node_modules.
cache: a developer reinstalling without a lockfile.
lockfile: a CI server doing its first install.
cache+lockfile: a developer reinstalling a known project.
cache+node_modules: the lockfile is deleted and install is run again.
node_modules: the cache and lockfile are deleted and install is run again.
cache+lockfile+node_modules: re-running install when nothing has changed.
lockfile+node_modules: the cache is deleted and install is run again.
update: dependency versions are bumped in package.json and install is run again.

Lots of Files

The app's package.json here

action	cache	lockfile	node_modules	npm	pnpm	pnpm 🦀	Yarn	Yarn PnP
install				28.6s	7.1s	2s	5.9s	2.4s
install	✔			13.9s	4.1s	1.2s	5.6s	2.1s
install		✔		12.3s	6s	1.8s	3.9s	868ms
install	✔	✔		8.8s	2.2s	537ms	3.9s	860ms
install	✔		✔	1.7s	558ms	975ms	5.5s	n/a
install			✔	1.7s	579ms	74ms	5.3s	n/a
install	✔	✔	✔	1.3s	509ms	37ms	3.5s	n/a
install		✔	✔	1.3s	521ms	40ms	3.5s	n/a
update	n/a	n/a	n/a	6.3s	7.8s	1.8s	4.2s	2.1s

pnpm vs pnpm 🦀

pnpm v12 will use a new installation engine for fetching and linking written in Rust. See pacquet.

action	cache	lockfile	node_modules	pnpm	pnpm 🦀
install				7.1s	2s
install		✔		6s	1.8s
install	✔			4.1s	1.2s
install	✔	✔		2.2s	537ms
install			✔	579ms	74ms
install	✔		✔	558ms	975ms
install		✔	✔	521ms	40ms
install	✔	✔	✔	509ms	37ms
update	n/a	n/a	n/a	7.8s	1.8s

Graph comparing pnpm versions on the alotta-files fixture

Lots of Files​

pnpm vs pnpm 🦀​

Lots of Files

pnpm vs pnpm 🦀