package manager options

[asadeisa]

Hi everyone 👋

I’m starting to build Vue.js projects and I noticed that there are several package managers available: npm, pnpm, yarn, and bun.

I’d like to understand:

In general, how do developers decide which package manager to use?

Are there any specific recommendations or best practices for Vue.js projects?

Do some of these tools give better performance, reliability, or compatibility with the Vue ecosystem?

[adydetra]

Package managers (for Vue/Vite)

• npm: simplest and everywhere, great default.
• pnpm: fastest installs, very disk-efficient, excellent for workspaces/monorepos.
• Bun: very fast dev loop. adopt only after you’ve verified CI, Vite plugins, and tests/linting work as expected.

Most teams choose a package manager by optimizing for consistency and CI first: pick one everyone can run easily, pin your Node and manager versions (e.g., via Corepack), and commit the lockfile for deterministic installs. For a single Vue/Vite app, npm or pnpm are both straightforward; in monorepos, pnpm’s workspaces and disk efficiency often tip the scales.

Before standardizing, verify your stack —Vite plugins, ESLint, TypeScript, Vitest/Cypress— behaves the same locally and in CI, and that private registries/proxies are supported. Performance is a secondary filter: pnpm is usually quickest on installs, while Bun can deliver the fastest dev loop if your CI and plugins cooperate.

In short, pick the tool that keeps installs reproducible and onboarding simple, then stick to it across the repo.

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Vue best practices (not about package managers)

• Stack: Vue + Vite + <script setup>, add TypeScript if the team’s ready <script setup lang="ts">.
• State: Use Pinia (optional), keep stores small, move reusable logic to composables; VueUse is handy.
• Routing: Lazy-load routes, split big chunks, consider route-level Suspense.
• Performance: Prefer computed over watchers for derived data, avoid huge reactive objects; use shallowRef/markRaw for heavy non-reactive libs (maps/3D).
• Lists: Stable :key, virtualize very large lists.
• Styling: Scoped CSS, use CSS variables for theming.
• DX & quality: ESLint (+ Prettier), Volar (Take Over), Vitest. Run type-check and tests in CI.

Btw Vue there are also best practices docs, one of which is about performance. U can check: https://vuejs.org/guide/best-practices/performance

That’s all I know, hope it helps.