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Install all dependencies for a project. 
bun install

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Behavior

bun install reads package.json and installs all dependencies into the node_modules directory. If a lockfile (bun.lockb or bun.lock) exists, Bun will use it to ensure reproducible installs.

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Installation strategies

Bun uses a hoisted installation strategy by default, placing packages in a flat node_modules structure to maximize compatibility with Node.js and other tools.

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Lockfile

Bun generates a binary lockfile (bun.lockb) or text lockfile (bun.lock) to lock down exact package versions. The lockfile is automatically updated when dependencies change.

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Performance

Bun installs packages significantly faster than other package managers by:
  • Using a global cache to avoid re-downloading packages
  • Installing packages in parallel with a fast native implementation
  • Using hardlinks/copying instead of symlinks when possible

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Flags

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--production

Skip installing devDependencies. 
bun install --production

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--frozen-lockfile

Don’t update the lockfile. Useful in CI/CD environments. 
bun install --frozen-lockfile

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--no-save

Don’t save exact package versions to lockfile. 
bun install --no-save

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--dry-run

Perform a dry run without actually installing anything. 
bun install --dry-run

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--force

Force re-download all packages, ignoring cache. 
bun install --force

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--global (-g)

Install a package globally. 
bun install --global cowsay

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--cwd <path>

Set the current working directory for the install. 
bun install --cwd ./my-project

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--backend <backend>

Specify installation backend:
  • hardlink - Use hardlinks (fastest, default when possible)
  • clonefile - Use copy-on-write clones (macOS/Linux with supported filesystems)
  • copyfile - Copy files (most compatible, slowest)
  • symlink - Use symbolic links (compatibility mode)
bun install --backend hardlink

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--cache-dir <path>

Specify a custom cache directory. 
bun install --cache-dir ./my-cache

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--no-cache

Ignore the cache when installing packages. 
bun install --no-cache

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--no-progress

Disable progress bar. 
bun install --no-progress

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--no-summary

Don’t print summary after install. 
bun install --no-summary

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--no-verify

Skip verifying package integrity. 
bun install --no-verify

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--concurrent-scripts <number>

Set the number of scripts to run concurrently (default: number of CPU cores). 
bun install --concurrent-scripts 4

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--ignore-scripts

Skip running lifecycle scripts (install, postinstall, etc). 
bun install --ignore-scripts

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--trust

Run scripts from specified packages even if they’re not trusted. 
bun install --trust @types/node,@types/react

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--verbose

Enable verbose logging. 
bun install --verbose

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--silent

Suppress all output except errors. 
bun install --silent

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Workspaces

If package.json includes a workspaces field, Bun will install dependencies for all workspace packages. 
{
  "workspaces": ["packages/*"]
}
See workspaces configuration for more details.

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Configuration

Behavior can be configured in bunfig.toml: 
[install]
frozenLockfile = true
production = false
See configuration for all available options.

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Examples

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Basic install

$ bun install
bun install v1.0.0

+ 134 packages installed [2.51s]

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Install with frozen lockfile

$ bun install --frozen-lockfile
bun install v1.0.0

+ 134 packages installed [1.83s]

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Install without dev dependencies

$ bun install --production
bun install v1.0.0

+ 89 packages installed [1.42s]

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