Yarn is one of the main JavaScript package managers, initially started in 2016 by Sebastian McKenzie of Facebook Inc. (current Meta Platforms) for the Node.js JavaScript runtime environment. An alternative to the npm package manager, Yarn was created as a collaboration of Facebook (currently Meta), Exponent (currently Expo.dev), Google, and Tilde Inc. to solve consistency, security, and performance problems with large codebases.
While bootstrapped by tech companies, the project was set up from the get go as its own GitHub organization, and eventually became fully autonomous in 2019, following its lead maintainer as he left Facebook for Datadog.
In 2020 the Yarn team released a major update, Yarn 2.0, also codenamed "Berry". This version came with a full rewriting of both the codebase (which migrated to TypeScript in the process) and test suite. Many features were introduced, a cleaving one being a new unique installation strategy called Yarn Plug'n'Play.
From the Wikipedia article “Yarn (package manager)”, CC BY-SA 4.0
What is Yarn?
Yarn by Yarn Contributors (developed by Meta Platforms) is open-source Windows software in the languages & sdks category. It ranks 6th by popularity among languages & sdks in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2016. It is written in JavaScript and TypeScript. Besides Windows, it is available for cross-platform.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides MSI installers for 32-bit Windows. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.22.22, released on May 24, 2024. The version history goes back to March 30, 2021: 6 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 1.9 releases a year. The last update is more than a year old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 1,857,517 times. The source code on GitHub (yarnpkg/yarn) has 41,471 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 11 of our languages. Similar programs include Go Programming Language, LLVM and Deno.
Project description on GitHub: “The 1.x line is frozen - features and bugfixes now happen on https://github.com/yarnpkg/berry”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on cross-platform
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2016)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
- 32-bit only
- Installation needs administrator rights
- No update for more than a year
In short: Yarn is an open-source languages & sdk tool for 32-bit PCs. Updates have slowed down. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Yarn 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:
EBC1F46891B8D507EFAD2DD18EEC2C4E617457F93E13BC701483CB047A053FA1· 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 yarnpkg/yarn repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- No dangerous workflows10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Security policy9
- Licence declared9
- Signed releases4
- Pinned dependencies2
- Code review1
- Restricted token permissions0
- Actively maintained0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Fuzzing0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 6 versions ›6 versions over 3 years · about 1.9 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.22.22Latest | May 24, 2024 | — | 32-bit MSI |
| 1.22.19 | May 10, 2022 | — | 32-bit MSI |
| 1.22.18 | March 15, 2022 | — | 32-bit MSI |
| 1.22.15 | October 6, 2021 | — | 32-bit MSI |
| 1.22.5 | March 30, 2021 | — | 32-bit MSI |
| 1.22.4 | March 30, 2021 | — | 32-bit MSI |
Release cycle and support
Version 1.22.22 belongs to the 1 release line, still supported, with no end date announced.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | October 22, 2023 | not announced | 4.18.1 | Supported |
| 3 | July 26, 2021 | December 4, 2024 | 3.8.7 | End of life |
| 2 | July 9, 2020 | September 6, 2021 | 2.4.3 | End of life |
| 1 | September 5, 2017 | not announced | 1.22.22 | Supported |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Yarn.Yarn -echoco install yarn -yscoop install main/yarnmsiexec /i yarn-1.22.22.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {9C4264B2-06A3-4D5E-99B8-6EC942052E5D} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install yarnInformation
- Publisher
- Yarn Contributors
- Developer
- Meta Platforms
- Category
- Languages & SDKs
- Licence
- Distributed under BSD License · Code of Conduct
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/yarnpkg/yarn
- Written in
- JavaScript and TypeScript
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 32-bit
- Installer
- MSI
- Other platforms
- cross-platform
- Version
- 1.22.22
- Released
- May 24, 2024
- First release
- 2016
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 6
- Updates / year
- 1.9
- Chocolatey downloads
- 1,857,517
- GitHub stars
- 41,471
- GitHub forks
- 2,701
- Website
- yarnpkg.com
- winget ID
- Yarn.Yarn
- Chocolatey package
- yarn
- Scoop package
- main/yarn
- MSI product code
- {9C4264B2-06A3-4D5E-99B8-6EC942052E5D}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Yarn
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Frequently asked questions
Is Yarn free?
Yes. Yarn is open-source software under the Distributed under BSD License · Code of Conduct licence.
Is Yarn 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 Yarn 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.
Can Yarn be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does Yarn run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Yarn?
The versions page lists all 6 versions with links to their official installer files, back to March 30, 2021.
What are alternatives to Yarn?
Go Programming Language, LLVM, Deno, CMake and NVM for Windows. The alternatives page compares them.
