How to Install Open‑SEO Project Dependencies Using npm or yarn

Although Open‑SEO uses pnpm by default, you can install project dependencies with npm or yarn by running standard install commands after cloning the repository.

Open‑SEO is a monorepo that officially manages dependencies with pnpm (declared via the packageManager field in the root package.json). However, the repository structure supports alternative package managers. Below is the complete workflow for installing dependencies with npm or yarn while maintaining version consistency with the upstream project.

Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure you have:

• Node.js 18+ installed
• Git for cloning the repository

Step‑by‑Step Installation with npm

The npm workflow follows standard Node.js conventions. Because Open‑SEO ships with a pnpm‑lock.yaml, you should remove any existing lockfile to avoid version conflicts.

1. Clone and Navigate to the Project

git clone https://github.com/every-app/open-seo.git
cd open-seo

2. Install Dependencies

rm -f package-lock.json pnpm-lock.yaml
npm install

3. Build the Project

npm run build

The build script (defined in package.json) compiles the project using Vite and TypeScript.

Step‑by‑Step Installation with yarn

Yarn users follow an identical pattern, substituting yarn commands.

1. Clone and Navigate to the Project

git clone https://github.com/every-app/open-seo.git
cd open-seo

2. Install Dependencies

rm -f yarn.lock pnpm-lock.yaml
yarn install

3. Build the Project

yarn build

Handling the Frozen Lockfile Requirement

The official Local Development documentation in docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md recommends pnpm install --frozen-lockfile to enforce exact versions. Neither npm nor yarn has a direct equivalent, but you can approximate this behavior:

Approach	Command	Effect
Clean install (npm)	rm -f package-lock.json && npm install	Generates fresh lockfile from package.json ranges
Clean install (yarn)	rm -f yarn.lock && yarn install	Generates fresh lockfile from package.json ranges
Strict install (yarn)	yarn install --frozen-lockfile	Fails if yarn.lock needs updates (requires existing lockfile)

To verify version alignment, compare your resolved packages against the committed pnpm-lock.yaml in the repository root.

Key Files and Their Roles

Understanding these files helps diagnose installation issues:

• package.json — Declares all workspace dependencies and scripts; specifies pnpm@10.30.1 as the default packageManager
• pnpm-lock.yaml — The authoritative lockfile generated by pnpm; serves as the version source‑of‑truth
• docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md — Contains the official pnpm‑based setup that npm/yarn workflows adapt
• scripts/ — Directory containing build, migration, and development scripts invoked by npm run or yarn commands

Post‑Installation Workflow

After installing dependencies, continue with standard development tasks:

# Run database migrations (if applicable)

npm run db:migrate:local

# Start the development server

npm run dev

These scripts are defined in the root package.json and work identically across package managers.

Summary

• Open‑SEO defaults to pnpm but supports npm and yarn through standard Node.js workflows.
• Remove pnpm-lock.yaml before installing to prevent lockfile conflicts.
• Use rm -f to clear existing lockfiles when mimicking --frozen-lockfile behavior.
• All package.json scripts (build, dev, db:migrate:local) function identically across package managers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use npm or yarn in production deployments of Open‑SEO?

Yes, both npm and yarn install compatible dependency trees. However, the core maintainers test and deploy using pnpm, so production environments should verify builds pass with your chosen package manager.

Why does Open‑SEO prefer pnpm over npm or yarn?

According to the package.json packageManager field, the project standardizes on pnpm@10.30.1 for its disk‑efficient node_modules structure and strict workspace handling. This reduces install times and prevents phantom dependency issues in the monorepo layout.

Will installing with npm or yarn create lockfile conflicts in CI/CD?

Potentially. If your CI pipeline caches lockfiles, ensure you:

1. Delete pnpm-lock.yaml before installing
2. Commit your generated package-lock.json or yarn.lock to version control
3. Configure CI to use the same package manager consistently

How do I switch from npm/yarn back to pnpm?

Run corepack enable to activate Corepack (which respects the packageManager field), then execute pnpm install --frozen-lockfile. This restores the official development environment as documented in docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}