Corepack

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This is one of those things, most developers (including me) just install and use without thinking about it. So, just doing quick-AI write-up to learn it.

What is Corepack?

Corepack is a tool that comes with Node.js (v16.10+) that manages package manager versions automatically.

Purpose: Ensures your project uses the specified package manager version (npm, yarn, pnpm) without manual installation.

How it works:

Reads packageManager field in package.json
Downloads and uses the specified version
Acts as a proxy between your commands and the actual package manager

Setup:

corepack enable

Usage in package.json:

{
  "packageManager": "pnpm@8.15.0"
}

Now running pnpm install will automatically use pnpm v8.15.0, even if you don't have it installed.

Benefits: Consistent package manager versions across team members and CI/CD, eliminates "works on my machine" issues.

What is Corepack?

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