| name | pnpm-projects |
| description | Use pnpm (not npm or yarn) for any new or existing Node.js/JavaScript/TypeScript project work. Triggers when initializing a project, adding dependencies, running scripts, or creating package.json. Examples: "create a Node project", "add express", "set up a TypeScript project", "npm install X", "init a new package". |
pnpm for Node.js Projects
Always use pnpm instead of npm or yarn. If the user types npm <cmd>, translate to the pnpm equivalent and proceed (don't ask).
Command translation
| Instead of | Use |
|---|
npm init -y | pnpm init |
npm install | pnpm install |
npm install <pkg> | pnpm add <pkg> |
npm install -D <pkg> | pnpm add -D <pkg> |
npm install -g <pkg> | pnpm add -g <pkg> |
npm uninstall <pkg> | pnpm remove <pkg> |
npm run <script> | pnpm <script> |
npm test | pnpm test |
npx <bin> | pnpm dlx <bin> |
yarn <anything> | pnpm <equivalent> |
New project setup
pnpm init
pnpm add -D typescript @types/node
pnpm add <runtime-deps>
Commit the pnpm-lock.yaml (not package-lock.json or yarn.lock). If a package-lock.json or yarn.lock exists in a project we're converting, delete it after generating pnpm-lock.yaml.
Workspaces / monorepos
Use pnpm-workspace.yaml at the repo root:
packages:
- "packages/*"
- "apps/*"
Run a script in one workspace: pnpm --filter <name> <script>.
Don't
- Don't run
npm install or yarn install — even if a lockfile from another tool exists, switch to pnpm.
- Don't suggest
npx; use pnpm dlx (one-off) or pnpm exec (project-local bin).
- Don't add
engines.npm in package.json; add packageManager: "pnpm@<version>" instead.
If pnpm isn't installed
Tell the user to install it once: brew install pnpm (macOS) or corepack enable && corepack prepare pnpm@latest --activate. Don't fall back to npm.
