How to Update Global Packages with Bun

The Problem: No -g Flag in Bun

When using npm, updating global packages is straightforward: npm update -g. Bun does not support this flag. Running bun update -g will not update your globally-installed packages.

Bun manages global packages differently. They are installed in a dedicated directory at ~/.bun/install/global, and you update them by running bun update from within that directory.

How to Update Global Bun Packages

Navigate to Bun's global installation directory and run the update command:

cd ~/.bun/install/global && bun update

Adding a Shell Alias

To avoid typing the full path each time, add an alias to your .bashrc or .zshrc file:

alias bunupdate='(cd ~/.bun/install/global && bun update)'

After saving the file, open a new terminal instance (or reload your shell configuration with source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.zshrc). You can then update all global Bun packages with:

bunupdate

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Bun not support bun update -g?

Bun manages global packages in a self-contained directory (~/.bun/install/global) rather than through a global flag. This design means you update them by working directly inside that directory, the same way you would update dependencies in any other project.

How do I see which global packages are installed with Bun?

Navigate to the global install directory and run bun pm ls:

cd ~/.bun/install/global && bun pm ls

Does this work on Mac as well as Linux?

Yes. Bun uses the same ~/.bun/install/global directory on both Linux and macOS, so the same command and alias work on either platform.