hni

Fast package manager routing for npm, yarn, pnpm, bun, and deno.

hni is inspired by Antfu's ni, but packaged as a single multicall binary with extra shell setup for a node shim.

One install gives you:

• hni
• ni, nr, nlx, nu, nun, nci, na, np, ns
• node shim via hni init <shell> (shell plugin only)

Install

npm (global)

npm install -g @happytoolin/hni
hni --version

This installs hni and the ni-family aliases (ni, nr, nlx, nu, nun, nci, na, np, ns) onto your global npm bin path. The node shim is only enabled through hni init <shell>. Under the hood, npm resolves a platform-specific optional dependency package that contains the native hni binary.

Homebrew

brew tap happytoolin/happytap
brew install hni
hni --version

Script install (macOS / Linux)

curl -fsSL https://happytoolin.com/hni/install.sh | bash

Optional environment variables:

• HNI_VERSION - install a specific version, for example v0.0.1-alpha-2
• HNI_INSTALL_DIR - install somewhere other than ~/.local/bin

Script install (PowerShell)

irm https://happytoolin.com/hni/install.ps1 | iex

Optional parameters:

• -Version latest
• -InstallDir "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\hni\bin"

Deno / JSR

Install hni:

deno install -gA -n hni jsr:@happytoolin/hni/hni
hni --version

Install alias commands (example):

deno install -gA -n ni jsr:@happytoolin/hni/ni
deno install -gA -n nr jsr:@happytoolin/hni/nr

Commands

ni

Install dependencies or add new ones.

ni
ni vite
ni -D vitest
ni -g eslint
ni --frozen
ni --frozen-if-present
ni --interactive

nr

Run package scripts.

nr
nr dev
nr build
nr test -- --watch
nr --if-present lint
nr --repeat-last

nlx

Execute binaries without adding them permanently to your project.

nlx vitest
nlx eslint .
nlx create-vite@latest

nu

Upgrade dependencies.

nu
nu react react-dom
nu --interactive

nun

Remove dependencies.

nun lodash
nun react react-dom
nun --multi-select
nun -g typescript

nci

Run a clean install. If a lockfile exists, hni uses the package-manager-specific frozen install command.

nci

na

Print or forward directly to the detected package manager.

na --version
na config get registry

np / ns

Run shell commands in parallel or sequentially.

np "pnpm dev" "pnpm test"
ns "pnpm lint" "pnpm test"

node

hni can also act as a package-manager-aware node shim. Enable it by adding hni init <shell> to your shell config first.

node install vite
node run dev
node exec vitest
node ci
node p "echo one" "echo two"

Regular Node.js usage still passes through:

node script.js
node -v
node -- --trace-warnings

Utilities

hni help ni
hni completion zsh
hni init bash
hni doctor

Shell Setup

If you want node-shim behavior, add the init line at the end of your shell config file, after anything that manages Node or rewrites PATH, such as nvm, mise, asdf, fnm, or volta.

Do not append the hni directory to the end of PATH. Put the init line at the end of the shell config file and let it prepend the correct path for you.

zsh

Add to ~/.zshrc:

eval "$(hni init zsh)"

bash

Add to ~/.bashrc:

eval "$(hni init bash)"

fish

Add to ~/.config/fish/config.fish:

hni init fish | source

PowerShell

Add to $PROFILE:

Invoke-Expression (& hni init powershell)

Nushell

Generate a stable init file, then source it from the end of ~/.config/nushell/config.nu:

hni init nushell | save --force ~/.config/nushell/hni.nu
source ~/.config/nushell/hni.nu

Global Flags

These work across hni and the multicall aliases:

? --dry-run --print-command
--explain
-C <dir>
-v --version
-h --help

Use -- to forward flags to the underlying package manager or script:

hni ni -- --help
nr test -- --watch

Configuration

Config file:

• ~/.hnirc

Supported keys:

defaultAgent=prompt
globalAgent=npm
runAgent=node
useSfw=false

Environment overrides:

• HNI_CONFIG_FILE
• HNI_DEFAULT_AGENT
• HNI_GLOBAL_AGENT
• HNI_USE_SFW
• HNI_AUTO_INSTALL

How It Works

hni detects the package manager from:

1. packageManager in package.json
2. lockfiles such as pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, package-lock.json, bun.lockb, or deno.lock
3. config defaults if detection is unavailable

Then it maps the command family to the right native command:

• ni -> install or add
• nr -> run or task
• nlx -> npx / pnpm dlx / yarn dlx / bun x
• nu -> update / upgrade
• nci -> frozen install when lockfiles exist

Troubleshooting

PowerShell ni alias conflict

PowerShell ships with a built-in ni alias for New-Item.

If that conflicts with hni, remove or override it in your profile before loading hni:

Remove-Item Alias:ni -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Invoke-Expression (& hni init powershell)

Check what hni resolved

ni vite --debug-resolved
nr dev --explain
hni doctor