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How do I Install Yarn 2 Globally?

Published in Yarn Installation 3 mins read

To install Yarn 2 (also known as Yarn Berry) globally on your system, you use a simple command via npm.

The exact command to install Yarn 2 globally is:

npm install -g yarn@berry

Using this command ensures that the latest stable release of Yarn 2 is available system-wide, allowing you to run yarn commands from any directory on your machine.

Understanding the Global Installation Command

Let's break down the command:

  • npm install: This is the standard npm command used to install packages.
  • -g: This flag specifies a global installation. Instead of installing the package within the current directory's node_modules, it installs it in a system-wide location, making the executable available in your system's PATH.
  • yarn@berry: This specifies the package to install (yarn) and a specific tag (berry). The berry tag points to the latest stable release of Yarn 2.

As per the reference provided: "To install yarn 2 globally, we use npm install -g yarn@berry". This confirms the command is the correct method for a global installation.

Why Install Globally?

Installing Yarn globally allows you to:

  • Initialize new projects using yarn init.
  • Run Yarn commands (yarn install, yarn add, etc.) in projects that are not yet configured with a specific Yarn version via the yarn policies method.
  • Have a fallback Yarn version available system-wide.

Global vs. Project-Specific Installation

It's important to note the difference between global and project-specific installations:

  • Global Installation (npm install -g yarn@berry): Installs Yarn onto your system PATH. Useful for initializing projects or when you need a general-purpose Yarn executable.
  • Project-Specific Installation (yarn policies set-version berry): Installs Yarn within a specific project's directory (.yarn/releases/). This is the recommended approach for most projects as it locks the project to a specific Yarn version, ensuring consistency across development environments. The reference also highlights this distinction: "To install yarn 2 to a specific project, we use yarn policies set-version berry".
Installation Type Command Location Primary Use Case
Global npm install -g yarn@berry System PATH Initializing projects, general use
Project-Specific yarn policies set-version berry .yarn/releases/ Project consistency, version locking

While a global installation gets you started, adopting the project-specific yarn policies approach is often preferred for collaborative development and production builds to avoid "it works on my machine" issues related to differing Yarn versions.

Steps to Install Globally

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Ensure you have Node.js and npm installed, as npm is used for the global installation.
  3. Run the command:
    npm install -g yarn@berry
  4. Verify the installation by checking the Yarn version:
    yarn --version

    The output should show a version number starting with 2.x.x or 3.x.x (as Yarn 2 has evolved and subsequent releases keep the "Berry" architecture).

By following these steps, you will have successfully installed Yarn 2 globally on your system.

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