cnpm vs Flux
cnpm
github.comFlux
flux.gautamsuthar.inSide by side
| Figure | cnpm | Flux |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · JavaScript Package Managers | 7.6 (#11) | 7.7 (#9) |
| Compatibility | cnpm supports npm commands, and npmmirror says it supports commands such as install, info, and view, except write-related operations. | Flux uses the npm registry, reads and writes package.json, and installs into node_modules. |
| Install options | npminstall documents options to ignore lifecycle scripts, omit optional dependencies, enforce registry-only installs, and forbid specified licenses. | Flux is available as a global npm package or as a standalone binary that does not require Node.js. |
| Purpose | cnpm is an npm client for the npmmirror.com China mirror of npm. | Flux installs, updates, lists, and removes packages from the npm registry and runs scripts in package.json. |
Plans
In their own words
cnpm
cnpm is an npm client for the China mirror of npm. It supports npm commands for package installation and synchronization, and can open package documentation or a Git web URL. Global installation uses `npm install cnpm -g`, and the minimum Node.js version is 20, with LTS recommended. Users can configure a custom registry, registry web address, and user configuration file to create a private-registry npm CLI. cnpm uses npminstall by default, though the original npm installer can be selected at the stated cost of losing the fastest install speed. The mirror is read-only and aims to synchronize with the official service in real time, so write-related operations are excluded. npminstall accepts folders, tarballs, URLs, registry packages, and Git URLs. Its options include ignoring lifecycle scripts, omitting optional dependencies, enforcing registry-only installs, and forbidding specified licenses. It cannot install from shrinkwrap files, and failed installs are best retried after cleaning `node_modules`. The project is MIT licensed and recommends migrating to utoo, described as a modern npm package manager. cnpm runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted environments.
Flux
Flux is an open-source command-line package manager for JavaScript and Node.js projects, built by Gautam Suthar. It installs, updates, lists, and removes packages from the npm registry, and runs scripts defined in package.json. Packages are placed in node_modules, while downloaded tarballs remain in a shared per-user cache that later projects can reuse. Flux is available through a global npm installation or as a standalone binary without Node.js. The npm route requires Node 18 or later; the standalone binary includes no runtime. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, uses package.json, and has no workspace or lockfile support. The alpha handles direct dependencies only, without dependency-tree resolution, so installs are not reproducible. Flux has no telemetry, requires no account, and is MIT licensed for personal and commercial use. The maker recommends it for side projects and experiments, not production projects.