pipm

Stop staring at that awkward, infinite loading spinner. pipm is a Python-inspired wrapper for npm that actually tells you what's happening behind the scenes.

The "Is it stuck?" Problem

We've all been there: you run npm install, the spinner starts spinning, and then... nothing. For 5 minutes. You start wondering if your internet died, if your terminal crashed, or if npm is just having a mid-life crisis.

pipm turns that "silent wait" into a bit of literal fun. Instead of a vague spinner, you get a full dashboard showing you exactly what's moving under the hood.

Cool Stuff it Does

• Real Speed Monitoring: No fake "estimated" percentages. It polls your system's network adapter directly to show you exactly how many MB/s your machine is pulling.
• PIP-Style Progress Bar: High-contrast Green (done) and Red (to-go) bar.
• State-Aware Humor: Keeps you engaged with 50+ status phrases. You'll get startup, working, and finishing jokes based on the actual stage of the install.
• Zero Bloat: Built with 100% native Node.js. No extra node_modules to download to make the tool work.
• Flicker-Free: Custom rendering that overwrites lines instead of clearing the screen, so it doesn't blink like an old neon sign.

Installation

Note: This is a CLI tool and must be installed globally.

npm install -g pipm

How to use it

Use it exactly like you use npm. There's nothing new to learn.

# Standard install
pipm install

# Adding stuff
pipm add lodash express shadcn

# Anything else
pipm init
pipm run dev

How it works (The technical bit)

pipm is a wrapper, not a replacement. When you run a command, it:

1. Spawns the official npm process in the background.
2. Forces npm into http log mode so we can "see" every download request.
3. Calculates your network bandwidth by tracking your OS's ReceivedBytes (it works on Windows, Mac, and Linux).
4. Uses ANSI escape codes to redraw the UI in-place every few hundred milliseconds.

Basically, it's a personality-filled skin for the npm engine we already know and love.

Enjoy the status fun to keep you engaged while you wait! :)