Use Yarn When
Your project already uses Yarn and the team depends on its workspace or version-specific features.
You want consistency with existing lockfiles and tooling expectations.
Compare
yarn vs npm
How to think about Yarn today compared with the default npm workflow.
Yarn helped push the ecosystem forward on workspaces and performance, but npm has caught up in many areas. The better choice now usually depends on your existing project conventions and workspace needs.
Use npm When
You want the simplest default and are starting fresh without strong Yarn requirements.
Your workflows do not need Yarn-specific features.
Rule of Thumb
Follow the project standard first. Default to npm when starting simple.
Want the short version? Browse the compact sheet views and save the commands you use most into a Cheatbook.