pnpm and yarn are often perceived as faster alternatives to npm due to several key factors:

Concurrency:

Both pnpm and yarn leverage parallelization and concurrency to execute operations more efficiently. They can perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as downloading dependencies or building packages, which speeds up the overall process.

Package Deduplication:

npm installs packages into the node_modules directory of each project, which can lead to duplication of packages across different projects. pnpm and yarn use a shared global package store and symlink-based approach, reducing disk space usage and installation times by avoiding redundant downloads.

Caching:

pnpm and yarn cache packages locally, reducing the need to re-download dependencies when installing them in subsequent projects or environments. This caching mechanism can significantly improve installation times, especially for large projects or when working in environments with limited internet connectivity.

Offline Mode:

Both pnpm and yarn have an offline mode that allows developers to install packages without an internet connection, provided that the necessary dependencies are already cached locally. This feature is particularly beneficial for scenarios where internet access is unreliable or unavailable.

Network Efficiency:

yarn and pnpm optimize network usage by fetching packages in a more efficient manner compared to npm. They employ strategies such as parallel fetching, selective fetching, and intelligent HTTP request management to minimize the time spent waiting for network responses during dependency installation.

Overall, while npm remains a popular choice for package management in Node.js projects, pnpm and yarn offer performance improvements and additional features that make them attractive alternatives, particularly for projects with complex dependency graphs or performance-sensitive requirements.