Chalk vs Picocolors

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

chalk

Extremely Popular

Version 5.6.2

73
Good

Terminal string styling done right

Weekly Downloads
389.2M
↑26%
Bundle (gzip)
2.3 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
60
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

picocolors

Extremely Popular

Version 1.1.1

61
Good

The tiniest and the fastest library for terminal output formatting with ANSI colors

Weekly Downloads
124.9M
↑27%
Bundle (gzip)
1.9 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
20
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Chalk and Picocolors? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Chalk leads with 389.2M weekly downloads — roughly 3.1x more. Picocolors has 124.9M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Picocolors has the smallest gzipped bundle at 1.9 KB. Chalk comes in at 2.3 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Chalk has an overall health score of 73/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Picocolors has an overall health score of 61/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Chalk if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose Picocolors if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Chalk and Picocolors are solid choices for JavaScript development. Chalk has the edge in overall health score (73/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chalk better than picocolors?
It depends on your needs. Chalk has a health score of 73/100 while Picocolors scores 61/100. Chalk has more weekly downloads (389.2M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, chalk or picocolors?
Picocolors has the smaller gzipped bundle at 1.9 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use chalk vs picocolors?
Based on npm download statistics, Chalk has approximately 389.2M weekly downloads and Picocolors has approximately 124.9M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, chalk or picocolors?
Chalk currently has the higher overall health score at 73/100. Chalk has a maintenance score of 60/100 and Picocolors scores 20/100 on maintenance.