npm AlternativesTop Package Managers and other similar apps like npm

npm is described as 'Package manager for Node.js that is run through the command line and manages dependencies for an application. It the predominant package manager for Node.js' and is a popular Package Manager in the development category. There are more than 25 alternatives to npm, not only websites but also apps for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Self-Hosted and Windows apps. The best npm alternative is Yarn, which is both free and Open Source. Other great sites and apps similar to npm are pnpm, Bun, Advanced Package Tool and Nix Package Manager.

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npm is a package manager for Node.js that is run through the command line and manages dependencies for an application. It...

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npm alternatives page was last updated Feb 21, 2025
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  1. Yarn icon

    Yarn

     18 likes
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    Yarn is a package manager for your code. It allows you to use and share code with other developers from around the world. Yarn does this quickly, securely, and reliably so you don’t ever have to worry.

    14 Yarn alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    Yarn screenshot 1

    Yarn Features

    1.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    2. Git icon  Git Support
    3.  NPM

    Yarn VS npm

     

    • Almost everyone thinks Yarn is a great npm alternative.

    • Yarn is the most popular Windows, Mac, Linux & Self-Hosted alternative to npm.

    • Yarn is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to npm.

    • Yarn is Free and Open Sourcenpm is also Free and Open Source
  2. pnpm icon

    pnpm

     10 likes
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    Fast, disk space efficient package manager.

    11 pnpm alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    pnpm screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Package Manager
    3.  Fast speed

    pnpm VS npm

     
    Comments about pnpm as an Alternative to npm
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Mar 26, 2022
    1

    I think pnpm is a good alternative to npm, because it is generally faster, and it uses symlinks, so every package is stored only once on your disk.

    misterrobato
    Positive •Apr 25, 2023
    0

    Faster than npm, can use cached packages instead of downloading them every time.

    Guest
    Positive •Jun 23, 2020
    0

    single copy of binary stored on file system; faster

    npm Icon
    pnpm icon

    • Almost everyone thinks pnpm is a great npm alternative.

    • pnpm is Free and Open Sourcenpm is also Free and Open Source
    • pnpm is Lightweightnpm is not according to our users
  4. Bun icon

    Bun

     14 likes
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    Bun is a modern JavaScript runtime like Node or Deno. It was built from scratch to focus on three main things:

    9 Bun alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Typescript

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Fast speed
    2.  Support for Typescript
    3.  Asynchronous

    Bun VS npm

     
  5. Advanced Package Tool icon

    Advanced Package Tool

     43 likes
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    Apt (for Advanced Package Tool) is a set of core tools inside Debian. The user interface application for Apt is aptitude.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CH flagSwitzerland

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Updating Packages (apt-get upgrade)

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Ad-free

    Advanced Package Tool VS npm

     
  6. Nix Package Manager icon

    Nix Package Manager

     24 likes
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    Nix is a powerful package manager for macOS, Linux and other Unix systems that makes package management reliable and reproducible. It provides atomic upgrades and rollbacks, side-by-side installation of multiple versions of a package, multi-user package management and easy setup...

    46 Nix Package Manager alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • NL flagNetherlands
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    • BSD

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Package Manager
    2.  Command line interface
    3.  Portable
    4.  Ad-free
    5.  No Tracking
    6.  No registration required

    Nix Package Manager VS npm

     
  7. PyPI icon

    PyPI

     7 likes
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    The Python Package Index (PyPI) is a repository of software for the Python programming language. PyPI helps you find and install software developed and shared by the Python community. Package authors use PyPI to distribute their software.

    46 PyPI alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    PyPI screenshot 1

    PyPI VS npm

     

    • PyPI is the most popular Web-based alternative to npm.

    • PyPI is Free and Open Sourcenpm is also Free and Open Source
  9. Turborepo icon

    Turborepo

     1 like
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    Turborepo is a high-performance build system for JavaScript and TypeScript codebases, designed to scale monorepos and speed up single-package workspace workflows. It uses a lightweight approach to optimize repository tasks, saving time and reducing costs for developers and large...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Typescript
    Turborepo screenshot 1

    Turborepo Features

    1.  Built-in terminal emulation
    2.  Monorepo
    3.  Remote Cache

    Turborepo VS npm

     
  10. aptitude icon

    aptitude

     46 likes
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    aptitude is a terminal-based frontend for Advanced Package Tool with a number of useful features, including: a mutt-like syntax for matching packages in a flexible manner, dselect-like persistence of user actions, the ability to retrieve and...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Linux
    aptitude screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Graphical User Interface
    4.  Software Management

    aptitude VS npm

     
    Comments about aptitude as an Alternative to npm
    Guest
    Negative •Apr 4, 2020
    9

    It's not a node.js package manager

    Guest
    Negative •Apr 23, 2020
    1

    Not node.js package manager

    npm Icon
    aptitude icon

    • This alternative is disputed. aptitude is a legitimate npm alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • aptitude is Free and Open Sourcenpm is also Free and Open Source
    • aptitude is Lightweightnpm is not according to our users
  11. Snapcraft icon

    Snapcraft

     24 likes
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    Snaps are software packages that are simple to create and install. They auto-update and are safe to run. And because they bundle their dependencies, they work on all major Linux systems without modification.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Super Tux Cart

    Properties

    1.  User friendly

    Features

    1.  Multiplatform
    2.  Sandbox

    Snapcraft VS npm

     
    Comments about Snapcraft as an Alternative to npm
    RemovedUser
    Negative •Jun 26, 2020
    3

    snapcraft is a general package manager for software, while npm is mostly specialized in javascript dependency management

    npm Icon
    Snapcraft icon
    • Snapcraft is Free and Open Sourcenpm is also Free and Open Source
  12. Verdaccio icon

    Verdaccio

     1 like
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    Verdaccio is a lightweight private npm proxy registry built in Node.js.

    19 Verdaccio alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    Verdaccio screenshot 1

    Verdaccio Features

    1.  Software Management
    2.  NPM

    Verdaccio VS npm

     
  13. Souk icon

    Souk

     10 likes
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    A flatpak-based app store, written with GTK4 and Rust.

    73 Souk alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Souk screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    Readme says "Souk is currently no longer being actively developed due to technical limitations. Many design elements of Souk are currently being implemented in GNOME Software 41. More details are explained in this issue."https://gitlab.gnome.org/haecker-felix/souk/-/issues/61#note_1270615

    Souk Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Flatpak

    Souk VS npm

     
  14. Composer icon

    Composer

     13 likes
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    Composer is a package manager not in the same sense as Yum or Apt are. Yes, it deals with "packages" or libraries, but it manages them on a per-project basis, installing them in a directory (e.g. vendor) inside your project.

    6 Composer alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PHP

    Composer Features

    1.  Command line interface

    Composer VS npm

     
12 of 31 npm alternatives