pnpm

SKILL.md

Fast, disk-efficient Node.js package manager with strict dependency resolution and monorepo support.

Enforces strict dependency resolution by default, preventing phantom dependencies; uses content-addressable storage to deduplicate packages across projects

Supports monorepo workspaces with filtering, shared lockfiles, and workspace protocol; configuration via pnpm-workspace.yaml

Includes advanced dependency management: catalogs for centralized version control, overrides to force specific versions, and patches to modify third-party packages

Provides peer dependency auto-install, custom resolution hooks via .pnpmfile.cjs, and package aliases using the npm: protocol

Use --frozen-lockfile in CI environments; check pnpm-workspace.yaml and .npmrc files to understand project configuration

pnpm is a fast, disk space efficient package manager. It uses a content-addressable store to deduplicate packages across all projects on a machine, and enforces strict dependency resolution by default, preventing phantom dependencies.

Configuration model (important): pnpm settings now live in pnpm-workspace.yaml (and the global config.yaml) using camelCase keys. .npmrc is used only for authentication/registry credentials, and the pnpm field of package.json is no longer read. When working in a pnpm project, check pnpm-workspace.yaml for settings/workspace structure and .npmrc only for auth. Always use --frozen-lockfile (or pnpm ci) in CI.

The skill is based on pnpm 10.x, generated at 2026-06-22. It also covers v11 behavior changes (config split, isolated global packages, allowBuilds, pmOnFail, global virtual store) where current docs describe them.

Core

Topic
Description
Reference

CLI Commands
install/add/remove/update, run, dlx/pnx, workspace, runtime, publishing (version, view, sbom, stage)
core-cli

Configuration
pnpm-workspace.yaml settings (camelCase), global config.yaml, packageConfigs, .npmrc auth
core-config

Workspaces
Monorepo support: filtering, workspace protocol, shared lockfile, packageConfigs
core-workspaces

Store
Content-addressable store, virtual store, node linker modes, frozen/read-only store
core-store

Features