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Version: 5.x

pnpm CLI

Differences vs npm#

Unlike npm, pnpm validates all options. For example, pnpm install --foo will fail as --foo is not a valid option for pnpm install.

However, some dependencies may use the npm_config_ environment variable, which is populated from the CLI options. In this case, you have the following options:

  1. explicitly set the env variable: npm_config_foo=true pnpm install
  2. force the unknown option with --config.: pnpm install --config.foo

Options#

-C <path>, --dir <path>#

Run as if pnpm was started in <path> instead of the current working directory.

-w, --workspace-root#

Added in: v5.6.0

Run as if pnpm was started in the root of the workspace instead of the current working directory.

Commands#

For more information, see the documentation for individual CLI commands. Here is a list of handy npm equivalents to get you started:

npm commandpnpm equivalent
npm installpnpm install
npm i <pkg>pnpm add <pkg>
npm run <cmd>pnpm <cmd>