The best package managers, according to hackers

35 package managers recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.

All package managers

NixRecommended for reproducible, declarative builds and per-project dev environments with multiple versions side by side, but the learning curve, docs and overall UX are widely called brutal.378recommend
HomebrewA package manager for macOS and Linux with a huge catalog, one-line installs and handy casks for Mac apps; critics cite weak supply-chain security and dropped older macOS support.271recommend
npmRecommended for JavaScript's huge package ecosystem and easy package installs, though critics say it's a frequent supply-chain attack target and runs install scripts by default.161recommend
pnpmA faster, disk-efficient npm replacement whose blocked-by-default install scripts and release-age cooldowns help against supply chain attacks, though critics note it doesn't fully stop them.124recommend
CargoRust's all-in-one build tool and package manager that handles building, testing, docs and publishing with little fuss, though critics cite npm-style supply-chain risks and weak C/C++ interop.123recommend
GNU GuixFree Linux distribution and package manager for reproducible environments, with rollbacks and source bootstrapping. Critics call it niche, weak on desktop use, and unavailable on Windows and macOS.84recommend
aptRecommended for a standardized way to install, upgrade and remove software on Debian-based systems, with signed repositories and a long, stable record. Critics mention upgrades that can break boots and weak fit for containers and reproducibility.56recommend
MacPortsPeople recommend MacPorts as a macOS package manager with a large package collection, installs kept out of the way in /opt, and support for very old Macs. Critics say it compiles from source, can break system setups, and is slower than Homebrew.55recommend
WinGetBuilt-in Windows command-line package manager that installs and updates software reliably and is praised for scripted setups. Critics say it lacks authenticity checks and is less polished than apt.41recommend
pacmanRecommended for simple, stable package management on Arch Linux, with fast updates and trusted repositories. The most common caveat is that upgrades can occasionally break a system.37recommend
YarnPeople recommend Yarn for reproducible installs, zero-install committed dependencies and faster installs on large monorepos. Critics say classic Yarn 1 is unmaintained and security-wise a dead end.27recommend
PixiDeveloper tools package manager that installs Python and Conda packages together in one fast tool with exact lockfiles, often called a uv for Conda.24recommend
pkgsrcpkgsrc is a portable package manager that runs on many operating systems, builds the same recipes across 20+ platforms, and allows unprivileged installs.21recommend
CondaPeople favor conda for handling non-Python binary dependencies and for reliably installing packages that just work. Critics say its solver is slow and can fail with unresolvable conflicts.19recommend
dnfRecommended for installing, updating and removing packages on Fedora and other RPM-based systems, with transaction history that makes changes easy to undo.18recommend
Scoop package managerPeople recommend Scoop as a command-line package manager for Windows that installs and updates developer tools such as Java, CMake, and Emacs. Critics note that some security apps ignore its current symlinks.16recommend
Gentoo PortageGentoo's package manager, praised for automated updates, easy patching and a kernel-agnostic design; the most common caveat is slow dependency resolution.15recommend
ConanRecommended for cross-platform C/C++ dependencies and ABI checks. Critics say it needs more configuring than alternatives and recipes are inconsistent.14recommend
vcpkgRecommended cross-platform C/C++ package manager with a large recipe library and reliable builds. Common caveat: setup is clunky, packages are sometimes broken, and CMake still needs writing.14recommend
NuGetPeople recommend NuGet for being easier to use than alternatives like Maven and for its built-in .NET support. Critics cite a confusing build setup and mistaken package removals.14recommend
ChocolateyPeople recommend Chocolatey as a command-line package manager for Windows software, citing one-line installs and checksum checks. Critics say its install process feels dated and sometimes stalls.13recommend
BundlerRecommended as a practical Ruby dependency manager that is useful for scripts and projects, though critics say installs are slow.12recommend
Swift Package ManagerApple's built-in package manager for Swift, praised for simplicity, team use and mixing languages; critics cite rough Xcode integration and slow builds.11recommend
Go modulesPeople recommend Go modules for reproducible dependency resolution built into the toolchain and for removing name squatting; critics say tooling is rough and go mod tidy can update dependencies unexpectedly.10recommend
AubeNode.js package manager from the mise author, with safety-first defaults and a 24-hour update cooldown. Critics say it looks vibe coded.10recommend
SpackFree HPC package manager that makes optimised builds with custom compilers easier. Caveat: Windows packages are less mature, and it integrates poorly with uv.8recommend
ZerobrewFast drop-in Homebrew alternative that people find pleasant to use. Critics report install-path errors and distrust of its AI-written code.8recommend
sx by SleuthFree open-source package manager for sharing AI skills, MCPs and commands across teams, with versioning, lockfiles and scoped installs.7recommend
RPM package managerPeople recommend RPM for its comparatively easy tooling across the whole packaging stack. Critics find it tedious and say small mistakes can force very long rebuilds.7recommend
FreeBSD portsPeople recommend FreeBSD ports for keeping software current and for convenient, flexible installs on FreeBSD.7recommend
QuicklispCommon Lisp's de facto package manager; people recommend it for library access, though it lacks HTTPS and signature checks.7recommend
apk package managerAlpine Linux's package manager, praised for fast installs and deterministic results, with some saying it beats pacman, apt and rpm.7recommend
ociclCommon Lisp package manager that people prefer over Quicklisp for managing dependencies, though one critic says it fixes packaging without rethinking it.5recommend
AlirePeople recommend it for making Ada toolchains and projects easier to set up and build. No criticism was recorded.5recommend
Windows Package Manager (winget)Command-line package manager for Windows; people say it would have prevented the recent 7-Zip and Notepad++ installer attacks.5recommend