Comparison
How snpm compares to npm, yarn, and pnpm
See how snpm compares to other package managers.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | snpm | npm | yarn | pnpm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Cache | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lockfile Format | YAML | JSON | YAML | YAML |
| Workspaces | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Catalog Protocol | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Minimum Version Age | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Written In | Rust | JavaScript | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Parallel Downloads | ✅ | Limited | ✅ | ✅ |
Key Differences
Global Store
Like pnpm, snpm uses a global store to cache packages. Download once, reuse everywhere.
Location: Platform-specific (e.g., ~/Library/Application Support/io.snpm.snpm/packages on macOS). Override with SNPM_HOME.
Lockfile
snpm uses YAML for its lockfile (snpm-lock.yaml), making it easy to read and review in pull requests.
Catalog Protocol
Define dependency versions once in snpm-catalog.yaml and reference them across your workspace. Eliminates version drift in monorepos.
Minimum Version Age
Unique to snpm: configure it to ignore recently published package versions. This protects against zero-day malicious packages and broken releases.
export SNPM_MIN_PACKAGE_AGE_DAYS=7Written in Rust
Fast, memory-efficient, and reliable. The codebase is designed to be readable and maintainable.
Command Comparison
| Task | npm | snpm |
|---|---|---|
| Install dependencies | npm install | snpm install |
| Add package | npm install <pkg> | snpm add <pkg> |
| Remove package | npm uninstall <pkg> | snpm remove <pkg> |
| Update packages | npm update | snpm upgrade |
| Run script | npm run <script> | snpm run <script> |
| Check outdated | npm outdated | snpm outdated |
Why Choose snpm?
Speed - Global caching and parallel operations make installs fast.
Security - Minimum version age protects against supply chain attacks.
Simplicity - Readable lockfile, familiar commands, no surprises.
Workspaces - First-class monorepo support with catalog protocol.
Reliability - Written in Rust for performance and stability.
Migration
Switching from npm/yarn/pnpm is straightforward:
- Install snpm
- Delete
node_modulesand old lockfiles - Run
snpm install
Your package.json works as-is. No changes needed.