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Yarn vs NPM: Key Differences and How to Choose the Right Package Manager in 2025

Yarn vs NPM: Key Differences and How to Choose the Right Package Manager in 2025

Q: 3. Can I replace Yarn with NPM?

Yes, you can replace Yarn with NPM, as both use the same package.json and are interchangeable.

Updated on 31 December, 2024

52.38K+ views

• 7 min read

Pavan Vadapalli

Table of Contents

What is NPM? Key Features and Uses
What is Yarn? Everything You Need to Know
Difference Between Yarn and NPM: A Key Comparison
Yarn vs NPM: Exploring Their Similarities
Yarn vs NPM: Command Comparison for Common Scenarios
Yarn vs NPM: Which Package Manager To Choose?
Learn Yarn and NPM with upGrad’s Industry-Ready Programs

Did you know that efficient project management in software can increase productivity by up to 50% and reduce up to 20% on project costs? These figures highlight the importance of using the right tools to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.

Tools like NPM and Yarn are essential for maintaining a consistent project environment as they ensure efficiency, flow, and speed in your workflow.

If you’re trying to decide which is better in the Yarn vs NPM debate, this blog will guide you. Explore their key differences to make an informed choice. Dive in!

What is NPM? Key Features and Uses

NPM (Node Package Manager) is a package manager for Node.js, which manages dependencies for JavaScript projects. The NPM simplifies the process of sharing, installing, and updating libraries or tools in a Node.js environment.

Here are the key components of NPM.

Website: It consists of a platform to discover and explore JavaScript packages.
Registry: It is a database of public and private packages that can be downloaded.
CLI (Command Line Interface): It is a tool to interact with the registry, manage dependencies, and automate tasks.

Common commands associated with NPM:

Check NPM Version
```
npm -v
```
Update NPM
```
npm install -g npm
```
Install a Package
```
npm install <package-name>
```
Install Dev Dependencies
```
npm install <package-name> --save-dev
```

Learn how you can manage a development environment using tools like yarn and NPM. Enroll in upGrad’s Management Courses to master project management and effectively handle project dependencies.

Also Read: Installing Dev Dependencies with npm: Beginners Guide

Now that you’ve learned about NPM, let’s explore Yarn.

What is Yarn? Everything You Need to Know

Yarn is a package manager that can be used as an alternative to NPM. It is designed to enhance performance, reliability, and security in dependency management.

Here are the key features of Yarn.

Plug’n’Play (PnP): This feature eliminates node_modules by resolving dependencies automatically, speeding up the installation process.
Zero-Install: Using this feature, you can use dependencies directly from the repository without reinstallation.
License Checker: It checks the licenses of all installed dependencies to ensure compliance.

Common commands used in Yarn:

Install Yarn
```
npm install -g yarn
```
Check Yarn Version
```
yarn --version
```
Install Dependencies
```
yarn install
```
Add a Dependency
```
yarn add <package-name>
```
Remove a Dependency
```
yarn remove <package-name>
```

Now that you’re familiar with Yarn, let’s explore Yarn vs NPM.

Difference Between Yarn and NPM: A Key Comparison

Yarn and NPM perform similar functions of package management. However, their purposes, performance, features, and workflows differ significantly.

Here’s the difference between Yarn and NPM.

Parameter	Yarn	NPM
Dependency Management	Supports Plug’n’Play (PnP) for handling dependencies without node_modules and ensures better isolation.	Installs dependencies into the node_modules folder and uses a package-lock.json file.
Performance and Speed	Yarn functions faster due to parallelized installs and caching mechanisms.	NPM 7+ has parallel installs and caching improvements but is still slower.
Security	Has high security with stricter integrity checks and features like lockfile validation.	Includes an audit command to check for vulnerabilities, but it faces issues while handling malicious packages.
Popularity	Witnessing high popularity among developers for its speed and advanced features.	Widely used and included by default with Node.js.
Ease of Use	Provides advanced features like Plug’n’Play, but has a steeper learning curve for beginners.	A simple and straightforward tool with widespread documentation and tutorials.
Offline Support	Provides excellent offline support, thanks to caching all dependencies locally.	Limited offline capabilities.
Workspace	Provides first-class support for monorepos, allowing efficient management of multi-package projects.	Provides only basic support for monorepos with limited tooling.
Use Case	Suitable for complex projects that need advanced dependency management.	Ideal for projects where simplicity and integration with Node.js are sufficient.

Now that you’ve explored the differences between Yarn and NPM, let’s take a look at their similarities.

Yarn vs NPM: Exploring Their Similarities

Yarn and NPM share several core functionalities as they both serve as package managers for JavaScript projects. Here are the similarities between them.

Package Management

Yarn and NPM manage JavaScript dependencies by installing, updating, and removing packages. They have a package.json file to store project metadata and dependency information.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Both tools can work across diverse Operating Systems, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Registry

Both the tools use of same public NPM registry for hosting and retrieving packages.

Support for Scripts

Both Yarn and NPM allow you to define and execute custom scripts in the package.json file, simplifying repetitive tasks such as testing, building, and deployment.

Caching Mechanisms

Both tools cache the downloaded packages locally to speed up subsequent installations.

Monorepo Support

Both tools allow managing monorepos, ensuring developers manage multiple packages within a single repository.

Now that you’ve explored the similarities between Yarn and NPM, let’s compare the commands used by these two tools.

Yarn vs NPM: Command Comparison for Common Scenarios

Commands in both yarn and NPM serve similar functions. Familiarity with both these tools allows you to switch seamlessly between them based on project requirements.

Here’s a comparative table of common commands used in Yarn and NPM.

Command	Yarn	NPM
Initialize Project	yarn init	npm init
Run Script	yarn run <script>	npm run <script>
Run Tests	yarn test	npm test
Install Dependencies	yarn install	npm install
Install Packages	yarn add <package>	npm install <package>
Uninstall Packages	yarn remove <package>	npm uninstall <package>
Install Packages Globally	yarn global add <package>	npm install -g <package>
Uninstall Packages Globally	yarn global remove <package>	npm uninstall -g <package>
Update Packages	yarn upgrade <package>	npm update <package>
Interactive Dependency Update	yarn upgrade-interactive	No equivalent
Check for Outdated Packages	yarn outdated	npm outdated
Manage Local Cache	yarn cache clean	npm cache clean --force
Login/Logout	yarn login/yarn logout	npm login / npm logout
Publish Package	yarn publish	npm publish
Update Package Manager	yarn set version latest	npm install -g npm@latest
Run Package Remotely	yarn dlx <package>	npx <package>
Check Licenses	yarn licenses list	No equivalent
Add Scripts	Manually edit package.json	Manually edit package.json
Install Development Dependencies	yarn add <package> --dev	npm install <package> --save-dev
Remove Development Dependencies	yarn remove <package>	npm uninstall <package>
Show Installed Packages	yarn list	npm list
Check Package Version	yarn info <package>	npm view <package>

Learn how to use tools like Yarn and NPM for managing dependency. Join the free course on Introduction to Product Management.

Now that you’ve reviewed the common commands for Yarn and NPM, let’s help you decide which package manager is the right choice for your project.

Yarn vs NPM: Which Package Manager To Choose?

Choosing between Yarn and NPM depends on your project’s needs. Yarn offers great speed and offline capabilities, while NPM is known for its integration with Node.js and widespread adoption.

Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the Yarn package manager.

Strength:

Faster installations due to parallel processing.
Advanced features like Plug’n’Play and workspaces.
Excellent offline support with efficient caching.

Weaknesses:

Slightly more complex for beginners to learn and use.
Used less commonly in older projects.
Compatibility issues with some niche tools.

Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the NPM package manager.

Strength:

Integration with Node.js makes it widely used.
Extensive documentation and a larger community.
Enhanced performance in recent versions (e.g., parallel installations).

Weakness:

Slower performance compared to Yarn.
Limited offline support and dependency caching.
Weaker monorepo support compared to Yarn.

Interested in learning Yarn and NPM to boost your career? Explore the next section.

Learn Yarn and NPM with upGrad’s Industry-Ready Programs

Yarn and NPM each offer distinct advantages, making them ideal for different project needs. Understanding the differences between them is essential for making an informed decision, which comes from knowledge and experience.

Platforms like upGrad can help you develop these skills through courses that provide in-depth training on Yarn, NPM, and other development tools.

Here are some of the courses in project management and DevOps.

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