Version 10.1.0
0
67
GoodRun scripts that set and use environment variables across platforms
- Weekly Downloads
- 17.4M
↑25%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 5.9 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
40
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Cross-env vs Dotenv
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Cross-env
5.9 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Dotenv
110.8M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Dotenv
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Cross-env
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Dotenv
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
Version 17.4.0
0
85
ExcellentLoads environment variables from .env file
- Weekly Downloads
- 110.8M
↑23%
- Bundle (gzip)
- 36.4 KB
- Updated
- Vulns
- 0
Health Score Breakdown
Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
Choosing between Cross-env and Dotenv? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
Dotenv leads with 110.8M weekly downloads — roughly 6.4x more. Cross-env has 17.4M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Cross-env has the smallest gzipped bundle at 5.9 KB. Dotenv comes in at 36.4 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Dotenv has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Cross-env has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Cross-env if you value massive community and ecosystem, strong security track record. Choose Dotenv if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Cross-env and Dotenv are solid choices for JavaScript development. Dotenv has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is cross-env better than dotenv?
- It depends on your needs. Cross-env has a health score of 67/100 while Dotenv scores 85/100. Dotenv has more weekly downloads (110.8M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, cross-env or dotenv?
- Cross-env has the smaller gzipped bundle at 5.9 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use cross-env vs dotenv?
- Based on npm download statistics, Cross-env has approximately 17.4M weekly downloads and Dotenv has approximately 110.8M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
- Which is better maintained, cross-env or dotenv?
- Dotenv currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Cross-env has a maintenance score of 40/100 and Dotenv scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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