pnpm (short for Performant npm) is one of the main JavaScript package managers, originally developed in 2016 by Rico Sta. Cruz for the Node.js JavaScript runtime environment as a disk space-efficient alternative to npm.
The first commit to the pnpm repository was made on 27 January 2016. The pnpm project was inspired by Alexander Gugel’s ied – an early experiment that used symbolic links to organise node_modules. The first stable release (v1.0.0) arrived on 28 June 2017. Over the following years, pnpm gained traction for its novel approach to dependency hoisting and its ability to handle large monorepos efficiently. On August 26, 2026, pnpm version 12.0 was released, which was a rewrite of pnpm from TypeScript to Rust.
pnpm's core innovation is its use of a global content-addressable store to manage dependencies. Instead of copying files into each project's node_modules folder, it stores a single copy of each package version in a central location (e.g., ~/.pnpm-store) and creates hard links from the project to these files. Symbolic links are then used to construct the dependency tree within the project.
What is pnpm?
pnpm by pnpm is open-source Windows software in the languages & sdks category. It is written in Rust. Besides Windows, it is available for cross-platform.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 12.15.0, released on October 21, 2026. The version history goes back to August 6, 2021: 324 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 62 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (pnpm/pnpm) has 36,891 stars. Similar programs include Go Programming Language, Yarn and LLVM.
Project description on GitHub: “Fast, disk space efficient package manager”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 62 a year)
- Also runs on cross-platform
- Large user base
In short: pnpm is an open-source languages & sdk tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is pnpm safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
84CF69DB1BE19E95BB4E5BEF329291A046F2821B390D87E00F5690809D8A2ED7· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the pnpm/pnpm repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Security policy10
- Licence declared10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Published packages10
- Static code analysis10
- Code review9
- Pinned dependencies9
- Branch protection5
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Restricted token permissions0
- Signed releases0
- Fuzzing0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 324 versions ›324 versions over 5 years · about 62 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.15.0Latest | October 21, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 12.14.0 | October 15, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.11.2 | October 9, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.10.1 | October 6, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.8.1 | September 28, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.6.0 | September 22, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.5.1 | September 18, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 12.4.2 | September 15, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Release cycle and support
Version 12.15.0 belongs to the 12 release line, still supported, with no end date announced.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | August 26, 2026 | not announced | 12.15.0 | Supported |
| 11 | April 28, 2026 | April 30, 2027 | 11.28.8 | Supported |
| 10 | January 7, 2025 | April 30, 2027 | 10.34.8 | Supported |
| 9 | April 16, 2024 | April 30, 2026 | 9.15.9 | End of life |
| 8 | March 27, 2023 | April 30, 2025 | 8.15.9 | End of life |
| 7 | April 30, 2022 | April 16, 2024 | 7.33.7 | End of life |
| 6 | April 5, 2021 | March 20, 2023 | 6.35.1 | End of life |
| 5 | May 27, 2020 | April 29, 2022 | 5.18.11 | End of life |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id pnpm.pnpm -eProgram files (.exe): pnpm.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install pnpmInformation
- Publisher
- pnpm
- Category
- Languages & SDKs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/pnpm/pnpm
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Other platforms
- cross-platform
- Version
- 12.15.0
- Released
- October 21, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- October 20, 2022
- Versions listed
- 324
- Updates / year
- 62.2
- GitHub stars
- 36,891
- GitHub forks
- 1,955
- Website
- pnpm.io
- winget ID
- pnpm.pnpm
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to pnpm
See all ›-
Go Programming Language1.27.0An open source programming language that makes it simple to build secure, scalable systems.Open source2.1M ↓ -
Yarn1.22.22Yarn is a package manager that doubles down as project manager. Whether you work on one-shot projects or large monorepos, as a hobbyist or an enterprise user, we've got you covered.Open source1.9M ↓ -
Open source2.8M ↓ -
Open source249.7K ↓ -
Open source3.7M ↓ -
Open source773.9K ↓ -
Ccache4.14.1Ccache is a compiler cache. It speeds up recompilation by caching previous compilations and detecting when the same compilation is being done again.Open source2.2M ↓ -
Open source552.9K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is pnpm free?
Yes. pnpm is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is pnpm safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install pnpm with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does pnpm run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of pnpm?
The versions page lists all 324 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 6, 2021.
Can I use pnpm without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to pnpm?
Go Programming Language, Yarn, LLVM, Deno and CMake. The alternatives page compares them.
