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Comparison guide

@changesets/cli vs Lerna

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Hero image for @changesets/cli vs Lerna

Quick Verdict

@changesets/cli leads across all categories in this comparison. Check the detailed metrics below to see how each package performs for your specific needs.

@changesets/cli icon

@changesets/cli

Very Popular

Version 2.31.0

0
85
Excellent

Organise your package versioning and publishing to make both contributors and maintainers happy

Weekly Downloads
2.8M
↑7%
Bundle (gzip)
44.0 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
lerna icon

lerna

Very Popular

Version 9.0.7

0
79
Good

Lerna is a fast, modern build system for managing and publishing multiple JavaScript/TypeScript packages from the same repository

Weekly Downloads
1.7M
↓15%
Bundle (gzip)
2.6 MB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
80
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between @changesets/cli and Lerna? 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

@changesets/cli leads with 2.8M weekly downloads — roughly 1.7x more. Lerna has 1.7M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

@changesets/cli has the smallest gzipped bundle at 44.0 KB. Lerna comes in at 2.6 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

@changesets/cli has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Lerna has an overall health score of 79/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose @changesets/cli if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Lerna if you value large community support, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both @changesets/cli and Lerna are solid choices for JavaScript development. @changesets/cli has the edge in overall health score (85/100), 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 @changesets/cli better than lerna?
It depends on your needs. @changesets/cli has a health score of 85/100 while Lerna scores 79/100. @changesets/cli has more weekly downloads (2.8M), 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, @changesets/cli or lerna?
@changesets/cli has the smaller gzipped bundle at 44.0 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use @changesets/cli vs lerna?
Based on npm download statistics, @changesets/cli has approximately 2.8M weekly downloads and Lerna has approximately 1.7M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, @changesets/cli or lerna?
@changesets/cli currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. @changesets/cli has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Lerna scores 80/100 on maintenance.

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