NPM and Yarn Cheat Sheet

What you need to know

npm install === yarn 
Install is the default behavior.

npm install taco --save === yarn add taco
The Taco package is saved to your package.jsonimmediately.

npm uninstall taco --save === yarn remove taco
-savecan be defaulted in NPM by npm config set save true but this is non-obvious to most developers. Adding and removing from package.json is default in Yarn.

npm install taco --save-dev === yarn add taco --dev

npm update --save === yarn upgrade

Great call on upgrade vs update, since that is exactly what it is doing! Version number moves, upgrade is happening!

*WARNING* npm update --save seems to be kinda broken in 3.11

npm install taco@latest --save === yarn add taco

npm install taco --global === yarn global add taco 
As always, use global flag with care.

What you already know about yarn

The packages are the same as on the NPM registry. Yarn is basically a new installer, where NPM structure and registry is the same.

npm init === yarn init
npm link === yarn link
npm outdated === yarn outdated
npm publish === yarn publish
npm run === yarn run
npm cache clean === yarn cache clean
npm login === yarn login (and logout)
npm test === yarn test

Things yarn has that NPM doesn’t

I’m skipping the items that they warn against using like yarn clean

yarn licenses ls -  Allows you to inspect the licenses of your dependencies

yarn licenses generate  - Automatically create your license dependency disclaimer

yarn why taco -  Identify why ‘taco’ package is installed, detailing which other packages depend upon it.

⬆️ Emojis

Speed 🏃⌁

Automatic shrinkwrap with the yarn lockfile

Security-centric design

Things NPM has that yarn doesn’t

npm xmas === **NO EQUIVALENT**
npm visnup === **NO EQUIVALENT**

Yarn’s run command seems to be kind of broken at the time of this writing. Looks like it will be fixed in 0.15.2 NPM has that over yarn, for now.