bun-src/docs/pm/npmrc.mdx

---
title: .npmrc support
description:
---

Bun loads configuration options from [`.npmrc`](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v10/configuring-npm/npmrc) files, so you can reuse your existing registry and scope configuration.

Configuration is loaded in this order, with later sources overriding earlier ones:

1. `~/.npmrc` (or `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/.npmrc`)
2. `./.npmrc`
3. `bunfig.toml` (global, then project)
4. `BUN_CONFIG_REGISTRY` / `NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY` and `BUN_CONFIG_TOKEN` / `NPM_CONFIG_TOKEN` environment variables
5. Command-line flags such as `--registry`

Bun matches credentials in `.npmrc` (`//<registry>/:_authToken`, etc.) to registries by host and path, even if you set the registry URL itself in `bunfig.toml`.

Values may reference environment variables. Bun replaces `${NAME}` with the variable's value, or leaves it as-is if the variable is unset. `${NAME?}` becomes an empty string if unset.

<Note>
  We recommend migrating your `.npmrc` file to Bun's [`bunfig.toml`](/runtime/bunfig) format, which supports more
  options, including Bun-specific ones.
</Note>

---

## Supported options

### Set the default registry

Bun resolves packages from the default registry, which is `npm`'s official registry (`https://registry.npmjs.org/`).

To change it, set the `registry` option in `.npmrc`:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
registry=http://localhost:4873/
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is [`install.registry`](/runtime/bunfig#install-registry):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
install.registry = "http://localhost:4873/"
```

### Set the registry for a specific scope

`@<scope>:registry` sets the registry for a specific scope:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
@myorg:registry=http://localhost:4873/
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is to add a key in [`install.scopes`](/runtime/bunfig#install-scopes):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install.scopes]
myorg = "http://localhost:4873/"
```

### Configure options for a specific registry

`//<registry_url>/:<key>=<value>` sets options for a specific registry:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# set an auth token for the registry
# ${...} is a placeholder for environment variables
//http://localhost:4873/:_authToken=${NPM_TOKEN}


# or you could set a username and password
# note that the password is base64 encoded
//http://localhost:4873/:username=myusername

//http://localhost:4873/:_password=${NPM_PASSWORD}

# or use _auth, which is your username and password
# combined into a single string, which is then base 64 encoded
//http://localhost:4873/:_auth=${NPM_AUTH}
```

Bun supports the following options:

- `_authToken`
- `username`
- `_password` (base64 encoded password)
- `_auth` (base64 encoded username:password, for example `btoa(username + ":" + password)`)
- `email`

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is to add a key in [`install.scopes`](/runtime/bunfig#install-scopes):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install.scopes]
# unlike _password in .npmrc, password is not base64 encoded; Bun encodes it for you
myorg = { url = "http://localhost:4873/", username = "myusername", password = "$NPM_PASSWORD" }
```

### `link-workspace-packages`: Control workspace package installation

Controls how Bun installs workspace packages when they are available locally:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
link-workspace-packages=true
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is [`install.linkWorkspacePackages`](/runtime/bunfig#install-linkworkspacepackages):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install]
linkWorkspacePackages = true
```

### `save-exact`: Save exact versions

Always saves exact versions without the `^` prefix:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
save-exact=true
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is [`install.exact`](/runtime/bunfig#install-exact):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install]
exact = true
```

### `ignore-scripts`: Skip lifecycle scripts

Prevents running lifecycle scripts during installation:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
ignore-scripts=true
```

This is equivalent to using the `--ignore-scripts` flag with `bun install`.

### `dry-run`: Preview changes without installing

Shows what Bun would install without installing anything:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
dry-run=true
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is [`install.dryRun`](/runtime/bunfig#install-dryrun):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install]
dryRun = true
```

### `cache`: Configure cache directory

Set the cache directory path, or disable caching:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# set a custom cache directory
cache=/path/to/cache

# or disable caching
cache=false
```

The equivalent `bunfig.toml` option is [`install.cache`](/runtime/bunfig#install-cache):

```toml bunfig.toml icon="settings"
[install.cache]
# set a custom cache directory
dir = "/path/to/cache"

# or disable caching
disable = true
```

### `ca` and `cafile`: Configure CA certificates

Configure custom CA certificates for registry connections:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# single CA certificate
ca="-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\n...\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----"

# multiple CA certificates
ca[]="-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\n...\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----"
ca[]="-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\n...\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----"

# or specify a path to a CA file
cafile=/path/to/ca-bundle.crt
```

### `omit` and `include`: Control dependency types

Control which dependency types Bun installs:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# omit dev dependencies
omit=dev

# omit multiple types
omit[]=dev
omit[]=optional

# include specific types (overrides omit)
include=dev
```

Valid values: `dev`, `peer`, `optional`

### `install-strategy` and `node-linker`: Installation strategy

Control how Bun lays out packages in `node_modules`. For compatibility with other package managers, Bun accepts both npm's `install-strategy` and pnpm/yarn's `node-linker`. See [isolated installs](/pm/isolated-installs) for how the hoisted and isolated layouts differ.

**npm's `install-strategy`:**

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# flat node_modules structure (default)
install-strategy=hoisted

# symlinked structure
install-strategy=linked
```

**pnpm/yarn's `node-linker`:**

`node-linker` controls the installation mode. Bun accepts values from both pnpm and yarn:

| Value          | Description                                     | Accepted by |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| `isolated`     | Symlinked structure with isolated dependencies  | pnpm        |
| `hoisted`      | Flat node_modules structure                     | pnpm        |
| `pnpm`         | Symlinked structure (same as `isolated`)        | yarn        |
| `node-modules` | Flat node_modules structure (same as `hoisted`) | yarn        |

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# symlinked/isolated mode
node-linker=isolated
node-linker=pnpm

# flat/hoisted mode
node-linker=hoisted
node-linker=node-modules
```

### `public-hoist-pattern` and `hoist-pattern`: Control hoisting

Control which packages Bun hoists to the root `node_modules`:

```ini .npmrc icon="npm"
# packages matching this pattern will be hoisted to the root
public-hoist-pattern=*eslint*

# multiple patterns
public-hoist-pattern[]=*eslint*
public-hoist-pattern[]=*prettier*

# control general hoisting behavior
hoist-pattern=*

# isolated linker only: disable the node_modules/.bun/node_modules fallback,
# so store packages only resolve declared deps (plus the root node_modules).
# Hoisted installs ignore this setting.
hoist=false
```