feat: add virtualStoreOnly option to skip post-import linking (#10965)

* feat: add virtualStoreOnly option to skip post-import linking Adds a new `virtualStoreOnly` config option that populates the virtual store (standard or GVS) without creating importer symlinks, hoisting, bin links, or running lifecycle scripts. - Config: add virtual-store-only to types, Config interface, defaults - extendInstallOptions: validate against enableModulesDir=false, force ignoreScripts=true and empty hoist patterns when enabled - headless: add skipPostImportLinking flag guarding 7 post-import steps - core install: guard buildModules, bin linking, and lifecycle hooks - link.ts: skip hoisting and symlink creation - fetch command: use virtualStoreOnly internally - CLI: wire through rcOptionsTypes and installDeps Pick type Closes #10840 * fix: address virtualStoreOnly review comments - Remove ignoreScripts=true forcing (allow builds with virtualStoreOnly) - Allow virtualStoreOnly + enableModulesDir=false when GVS is enabled - Guard linkHoistedModules with skipPostImportLinking in hoisted branch - Un-guard buildModules so lifecycle scripts can run with virtualStoreOnly - Split metadata block so writeModulesManifest persists with virtualStoreOnly - Add enableModulesDir=true to pnpm fetch to avoid config conflict - Fix test bugs: dep version 100.0.0→100.1.0, globalVirtualStoreDir→virtualStoreDir - Add test for virtualStoreOnly + enableModulesDir=false + GVS - Relax headless import guard to allow GVS with enableModulesDir=false * fix: pin dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep dist-tag in virtualStoreOnly tests The tests hardcode dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep@100.1.0 in path assertions but didn't call addDistTag to pin the latest version. Since test files run concurrently, other tests can change the dist-tag to 100.0.0, causing resolution to pick a different version and the path check to fail. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com> --------- Co-authored-by: Zoltan Kochan <z@kochan.io> Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-04-27 18:46:18 -04:00 · 2026-03-15 14:59:27 -04:00
parent a61617d517
commit 09a999af04
13 changed files with 320 additions and 77 deletions
--- a/.changeset/virtual-store-only.md
+++ b/.changeset/virtual-store-only.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/config": patch
+"@pnpm/core": minor
+"@pnpm/headless": minor
+"@pnpm/plugin-commands-installation": minor
+"pnpm": minor
+---
+
+Added a new setting `virtualStoreOnly` that populates the virtual store without creating importer symlinks, hoisting, bin links, or running lifecycle scripts. This is useful for pre-populating a store (e.g., in Nix builds) without creating unnecessary project-level artifacts. `pnpm fetch` now uses this mode internally [#10840](https://github.com/pnpm/pnpm/issues/10840).
--- a/config/config/src/Config.ts
+++ b/config/config/src/Config.ts
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ export interface Config extends AuthInfo, OptionsFromRootManifest {
  stateDir: string
  storeDir?: string
  virtualStoreDir?: string
+  virtualStoreOnly?: boolean
  enableGlobalVirtualStore?: boolean
  verifyStoreIntegrity?: boolean
  maxSockets?: number
--- a/config/config/src/configFileKey.ts
+++ b/config/config/src/configFileKey.ts
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ export const excludedPnpmKeys = [
  'global-virtual-store-dir',
  'virtual-store-dir',
  'virtual-store-dir-max-length',
+  'virtual-store-only',
  'peers-suffix-max-length',
  'workspace-concurrency',
  'workspace-packages',
--- a/config/config/src/index.ts
+++ b/config/config/src/index.ts
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ export async function getConfig (opts: {
    'embed-readme': false,
    'registry-supports-time-field': false,
    'virtual-store-dir-max-length': isWindows() ? 60 : 120,
+    'virtual-store-only': false,
    'peers-suffix-max-length': 1000,
  }

--- a/config/config/src/types.ts
+++ b/config/config/src/types.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ export const pnpmTypes = {
  'verify-store-integrity': Boolean,
  'global-virtual-store-dir': String,
  'virtual-store-dir': String,
+  'virtual-store-only': Boolean,
  'virtual-store-dir-max-length': Number,
  'peers-suffix-max-length': Number,
  'workspace-concurrency': Number,
--- a/pkg-manager/core/src/install/extendInstallOptions.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/src/install/extendInstallOptions.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ export interface StrictInstallOptions {
  dir: string
  symlink: boolean
  enableModulesDir: boolean
+  virtualStoreOnly: boolean
  modulesCacheMaxAge: number
  peerDependencyRules: PeerDependencyRules
  allowedDeprecatedVersions: AllowedDeprecatedVersions
@@ -267,6 +268,7 @@ const defaults = (opts: InstallOptions): StrictInstallOptions => {
    userAgent: `${packageManager.name}/${packageManager.version} npm/? node/${process.version} ${process.platform} ${process.arch}`,
    verifyStoreIntegrity: true,
    enableModulesDir: true,
+    virtualStoreOnly: false,
    modulesCacheMaxAge: 7 * 24 * 60,
    resolveSymlinksInInjectedDirs: false,
    dedupeDirectDeps: true,
@@ -313,6 +315,16 @@ export function extendOptions (
    packageExtensions: extendedOpts.packageExtensions,
    ignoredOptionalDependencies: extendedOpts.ignoredOptionalDependencies,
  })
+  if (extendedOpts.virtualStoreOnly && !extendedOpts.enableModulesDir && !extendedOpts.enableGlobalVirtualStore) {
+    throw new PnpmError('CONFIG_CONFLICT_VIRTUAL_STORE_ONLY_WITH_NO_MODULES_DIR',
+      'Cannot use virtualStoreOnly when enableModulesDir is false (the standard virtual store requires node_modules/.pnpm)')
+  }
+  if (extendedOpts.virtualStoreOnly) {
+    // Ensure .modules.yaml records empty hoist patterns so a subsequent
+    // normal install knows hoisting must be redone from scratch.
+    extendedOpts.hoistPattern = []
+    extendedOpts.publicHoistPattern = []
+  }
  if (extendedOpts.lockfileOnly) {
    extendedOpts.ignoreScripts = true
    if (!extendedOpts.useLockfile) {
--- a/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/src/install/index.ts
@@ -1375,6 +1375,7 @@ const _installInContext: InstallFunction = async (projects, ctx, opts) => {
        wantedLockfile: newLockfile,
        wantedToBeSkippedPackageIds,
        hoistWorkspacePackages: opts.hoistWorkspacePackages,
+        virtualStoreOnly: opts.virtualStoreOnly,
      }
    )
    stats = result.stats
@@ -1451,7 +1452,7 @@ const _installInContext: InstallFunction = async (projects, ctx, opts) => {
    const binWarn = (prefix: string, message: string) => {
      logger.info({ message, prefix })
    }
-    if (result.newDepPaths?.length) {
+    if (result.newDepPaths?.length && !opts.virtualStoreOnly) {
      const newPkgs = props<DepPath, DependenciesGraphNode>(result.newDepPaths, dependenciesGraph)
      await linkAllBins(newPkgs, dependenciesGraph, {
        extraNodePaths: ctx.extraNodePaths,
@@ -1460,7 +1461,7 @@ const _installInContext: InstallFunction = async (projects, ctx, opts) => {
      })
    }

-    await Promise.all(projects.map(async (project, index) => {
+    if (!opts.virtualStoreOnly) await Promise.all(projects.map(async (project, index) => {
      let linkedPackages!: string[]
      if (ctx.publicHoistPattern?.length && path.relative(project.rootDir, opts.lockfileDir) === '') {
        linkedPackages = await linkBins(project.modulesDir, project.binsDir, {
@@ -1559,7 +1560,7 @@ const _installInContext: InstallFunction = async (projects, ctx, opts) => {
        })
      })(),
    ])
-    if (!opts.ignoreScripts) {
+    if (!opts.ignoreScripts && !opts.virtualStoreOnly) {
      if (opts.enablePnp) {
        opts.scriptsOpts.extraEnv = {
          ...opts.scriptsOpts.extraEnv,
--- a/pkg-manager/core/src/install/link.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/src/install/link.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export interface LinkPackagesOptions {
  wantedLockfile: LockfileObject
  wantedToBeSkippedPackageIds: Set<string>
  hoistWorkspacePackages?: boolean
+  virtualStoreOnly: boolean
 }

 export interface LinkPackagesResult {
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@ export async function linkPackages (projects: ImporterToUpdate[], depGraph: Depe
  }

  let newHoistedDependencies!: HoistedDependencies
-  if (opts.hoistPattern == null && opts.publicHoistPattern == null) {
+  if (opts.virtualStoreOnly || (opts.hoistPattern == null && opts.publicHoistPattern == null)) {
    newHoistedDependencies = {}
  } else if (newDepPaths.length > 0 || removedDepPaths.size > 0) {
    newHoistedDependencies = {
@@ -250,7 +251,7 @@ export async function linkPackages (projects: ImporterToUpdate[], depGraph: Depe
  }

  let linkedToRoot = 0
-  if (opts.symlink) {
+  if (opts.symlink && !opts.virtualStoreOnly) {
    const projectsToLink = Object.fromEntries(await Promise.all(
      projects.map(async ({ id, manifest, modulesDir, rootDir }) => {
        const deps = opts.dependenciesByProjectId[id]
--- a/pkg-manager/core/test/install/globalVirtualStore.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/core/test/install/globalVirtualStore.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import path from 'node:path'
 import { assertProject } from '@pnpm/assert-project'
 import { install, type MutatedProject, mutateModules, type ProjectOptions } from '@pnpm/core'
 import { prepareEmpty, preparePackages } from '@pnpm/prepare'
-import { getIntegrity } from '@pnpm/registry-mock'
+import { addDistTag, getIntegrity } from '@pnpm/registry-mock'
 import type { PackageFilesIndex } from '@pnpm/store.cafs'
 import { StoreIndex, storeIndexKey } from '@pnpm/store.index'
 import type { ProjectRootDir } from '@pnpm/types'
@@ -486,3 +486,194 @@ test('injected local packages work with global virtual store', async () => {
  expect(injectedDepLocation).toContain('links')
  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(injectedDepLocation!, 'foo.js'))).toBeTruthy()
 })
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly populates standard virtual store without importer symlinks', async () => {
+  await addDistTag({ package: '@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep', version: '100.1.0', distTag: 'latest' })
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+  }))
+
+  // Standard virtual store should be populated
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/@pnpm.e2e+pkg-with-1-dep@100.0.0/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/@pnpm.e2e+dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep@100.1.0/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+
+  // Importer-level symlinks should NOT exist
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly with enableModulesDir=false throws config error (standard virtual store)', async () => {
+  prepareEmpty()
+  await expect(
+    install({}, testDefaults({
+      virtualStoreOnly: true,
+      enableModulesDir: false,
+    }))
+  ).rejects.toMatchObject({
+    code: 'ERR_PNPM_CONFIG_CONFLICT_VIRTUAL_STORE_ONLY_WITH_NO_MODULES_DIR',
+  })
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly with enableModulesDir=false works when GVS is enabled', async () => {
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const globalVirtualStoreDir = path.resolve('gvs-no-modules')
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  // First install to generate lockfile (with modules dir enabled)
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    enableGlobalVirtualStore: true,
+    virtualStoreDir: globalVirtualStoreDir,
+  }))
+
+  rimrafSync('node_modules')
+  rimrafSync(globalVirtualStoreDir)
+
+  // Now install with virtualStoreOnly + enableModulesDir=false + GVS — should NOT throw
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    enableGlobalVirtualStore: true,
+    virtualStoreDir: globalVirtualStoreDir,
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+    enableModulesDir: false,
+    frozenLockfile: true,
+  }))
+
+  // GVS should be populated
+  const pkgDir = path.join(globalVirtualStoreDir, '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/100.0.0')
+  expect(fs.existsSync(pkgDir)).toBeTruthy()
+  const hashes = fs.readdirSync(pkgDir)
+  expect(hashes).toHaveLength(1)
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(pkgDir, hashes[0], 'node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly with GVS populates global virtual store without importer links', async () => {
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const globalVirtualStoreDir = path.resolve('gvs')
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    enableGlobalVirtualStore: true,
+    virtualStoreDir: globalVirtualStoreDir,
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+  }))
+
+  // GVS should be populated
+  const pkgDir = path.join(globalVirtualStoreDir, '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/100.0.0')
+  expect(fs.existsSync(pkgDir)).toBeTruthy()
+  const hashes = fs.readdirSync(pkgDir)
+  expect(hashes).toHaveLength(1)
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(pkgDir, hashes[0], 'node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(pkgDir, hashes[0], 'node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+
+  // Importer-level links should NOT exist
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No hoisted deps
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No bin links
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.bin'))).toBeFalsy()
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly with frozenLockfile populates virtual store without importer symlinks', async () => {
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const globalVirtualStoreDir = path.resolve('gvs-frozen')
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  // First install to generate lockfile
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    enableGlobalVirtualStore: true,
+    virtualStoreDir: globalVirtualStoreDir,
+  }))
+
+  // Remove node_modules and GVS, then reinstall with frozenLockfile + virtualStoreOnly
+  rimrafSync('node_modules')
+  rimrafSync(globalVirtualStoreDir)
+
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    enableGlobalVirtualStore: true,
+    virtualStoreDir: globalVirtualStoreDir,
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+    frozenLockfile: true,
+  }))
+
+  // GVS should be populated
+  const pkgDir = path.join(globalVirtualStoreDir, '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/100.0.0')
+  expect(fs.existsSync(pkgDir)).toBeTruthy()
+  const hashes = fs.readdirSync(pkgDir)
+  expect(hashes).toHaveLength(1)
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(pkgDir, hashes[0], 'node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+  // Transitive dependency should also be in GVS
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.join(pkgDir, hashes[0], 'node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+
+  // Importer-level symlinks should NOT exist
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No hoisted deps
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No bin links
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.bin'))).toBeFalsy()
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly with frozenLockfile populates standard virtual store without importer symlinks', async () => {
+  await addDistTag({ package: '@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep', version: '100.1.0', distTag: 'latest' })
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  // First install to generate lockfile
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults())
+
+  // Remove node_modules, then reinstall with frozenLockfile + virtualStoreOnly
+  rimrafSync('node_modules')
+
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+    frozenLockfile: true,
+  }))
+
+  // Standard virtual store should be populated
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/@pnpm.e2e+pkg-with-1-dep@100.0.0/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/@pnpm.e2e+dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep@100.1.0/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+
+  // Importer-level symlinks should NOT exist
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No hoisted deps
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No bin links
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.bin'))).toBeFalsy()
+})
+
+test('virtualStoreOnly suppresses hoisting even with explicit hoistPattern', async () => {
+  prepareEmpty()
+  const manifest = {
+    dependencies: {
+      '@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep': '100.0.0',
+    },
+  }
+  await install(manifest, testDefaults({
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+    hoistPattern: ['*'],
+    publicHoistPattern: ['*'],
+  }))
+
+  // Virtual store should be populated
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/@pnpm.e2e+pkg-with-1-dep@100.0.0/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep/package.json'))).toBeTruthy()
+
+  // No hoisted packages (despite hoistPattern: ['*'])
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/.pnpm/node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+  // No importer-level symlinks
+  expect(fs.existsSync(path.resolve('node_modules/@pnpm.e2e/pkg-with-1-dep'))).toBeFalsy()
+})
--- a/pkg-manager/headless/src/index.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/headless/src/index.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
  lockfileToDepGraph,
  type LockfileToDepGraphOptions,
 } from '@pnpm/deps.graph-builder'
+import { PnpmError } from '@pnpm/error'
 import { hoist, type HoistedWorkspaceProject } from '@pnpm/hoist'
 import {
  makeNodeRequireOption,
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ export interface HeadlessOptions {
  resolveSymlinksInInjectedDirs?: boolean
  skipped: Set<DepPath>
  enableModulesDir?: boolean
+  virtualStoreOnly?: boolean
  nodeLinker?: 'isolated' | 'hoisted' | 'pnp'
  useGitBranchLockfile?: boolean
  useLockfile?: boolean
@@ -242,6 +244,12 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat
    unsafePerm: opts.unsafePerm || false,
  }

+  if (opts.virtualStoreOnly && opts.enableModulesDir === false && !opts.enableGlobalVirtualStore) {
+    throw new PnpmError('CONFIG_CONFLICT_VIRTUAL_STORE_ONLY_WITH_NO_MODULES_DIR',
+      'Cannot use virtualStoreOnly when enableModulesDir is false (the standard virtual store requires node_modules/.pnpm)')
+  }
+  const skipPostImportLinking = opts.virtualStoreOnly === true
+
  const skipped = opts.skipped || new Set<DepPath>()
  const filterOpts = {
    include: opts.include,
@@ -391,34 +399,38 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat
  let newHoistedDependencies!: HoistedDependencies
  let linkedToRoot = 0
  if (opts.nodeLinker === 'hoisted' && hierarchy && prevGraph) {
-    await linkHoistedModules(opts.storeController, graph, prevGraph, hierarchy, {
-      allowBuild,
-      depsStateCache,
-      disableRelinkLocalDirDeps: opts.disableRelinkLocalDirDeps,
-      force: opts.force,
-      ignoreScripts: opts.ignoreScripts,
-      lockfileDir: opts.lockfileDir,
-      preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
-      sideEffectsCacheRead: opts.sideEffectsCacheRead,
-    })
-    stageLogger.debug({
-      prefix: lockfileDir,
-      stage: 'importing_done',
-    })
+    if (!skipPostImportLinking) {
+      await linkHoistedModules(opts.storeController, graph, prevGraph, hierarchy, {
+        allowBuild,
+        depsStateCache,
+        disableRelinkLocalDirDeps: opts.disableRelinkLocalDirDeps,
+        force: opts.force,
+        ignoreScripts: opts.ignoreScripts,
+        lockfileDir: opts.lockfileDir,
+        preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
+        sideEffectsCacheRead: opts.sideEffectsCacheRead,
+      })
+      stageLogger.debug({
+        prefix: lockfileDir,
+        stage: 'importing_done',
+      })

-    linkedToRoot = await symlinkDirectDependencies({
-      directDependenciesByImporterId: symlinkedDirectDependenciesByImporterId!,
-      dedupe: Boolean(opts.dedupeDirectDeps),
-      filteredLockfile,
-      lockfileDir,
-      projects: selectedProjects,
-      registries: opts.registries,
-      symlink: opts.symlink,
-    })
-  } else if (opts.enableModulesDir !== false) {
-    await Promise.all(depNodes.map(async (depNode) => fs.mkdir(depNode.modules, { recursive: true })))
+      linkedToRoot = await symlinkDirectDependencies({
+        directDependenciesByImporterId: symlinkedDirectDependenciesByImporterId!,
+        dedupe: Boolean(opts.dedupeDirectDeps),
+        filteredLockfile,
+        lockfileDir,
+        projects: selectedProjects,
+        registries: opts.registries,
+        symlink: opts.symlink,
+      })
+    }
+  } else if (opts.enableModulesDir !== false || opts.enableGlobalVirtualStore) {
+    if (opts.enableModulesDir !== false) {
+      await Promise.all(depNodes.map(async (depNode) => fs.mkdir(depNode.modules, { recursive: true })))
+    }
    await Promise.all([
-      opts.symlink === false
+      opts.symlink === false || opts.enableModulesDir === false
        ? Promise.resolve()
        : linkAllModules(depNodes, {
          optional: opts.include.optionalDependencies,
@@ -442,7 +454,7 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat
      stage: 'importing_done',
    })

-    if (opts.ignorePackageManifest !== true && (opts.hoistPattern != null || opts.publicHoistPattern != null)) {
+    if (opts.ignorePackageManifest !== true && !skipPostImportLinking && (opts.hoistPattern != null || opts.publicHoistPattern != null)) {
      newHoistedDependencies = {
        ...opts.hoistedDependencies,
        ...await hoist({
@@ -478,19 +490,21 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat
      newHoistedDependencies = {}
    }

-    await linkAllBins(graph, {
-      extraNodePaths: opts.extraNodePaths,
-      optional: opts.include.optionalDependencies,
-      preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
-      warn,
-    })
+    if (!skipPostImportLinking) {
+      await linkAllBins(graph, {
+        extraNodePaths: opts.extraNodePaths,
+        optional: opts.include.optionalDependencies,
+        preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
+        warn,
+      })
+    }

    if ((currentLockfile != null) && !equals(importerIds.sort(), Object.keys(filteredLockfile.importers).sort())) {
      Object.assign(filteredLockfile.packages!, currentLockfile.packages)
    }

    /** Skip linking and due to no project manifest */
-    if (!opts.ignorePackageManifest) {
+    if (!opts.ignorePackageManifest && !skipPostImportLinking) {
      linkedToRoot = await symlinkDirectDependencies({
        dedupe: Boolean(opts.dedupeDirectDeps),
        directDependenciesByImporterId,
@@ -579,45 +593,47 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat
  const projectsToBeBuilt = extendProjectsWithTargetDirs(selectedProjects, injectionTargetsByDepPath)

  if (opts.enableModulesDir !== false) {
-    const rootProjectDeps = !opts.dedupeDirectDeps ? {} : (directDependenciesByImporterId['.'] ?? {})
-    /** Skip linking and due to no project manifest */
-    if (!opts.ignorePackageManifest) {
-      await Promise.all(selectedProjects.map(async (project) => {
-        if (opts.nodeLinker === 'hoisted' || opts.publicHoistPattern?.length && path.relative(opts.lockfileDir, project.rootDir) === '') {
-          await linkBinsOfImporter(project, {
-            extraNodePaths: opts.extraNodePaths,
-            preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
-          })
-        } else {
-          let directPkgDirs: string[]
-          if (project.id === '.') {
-            directPkgDirs = Object.values(directDependenciesByImporterId[project.id])
-          } else {
-            directPkgDirs = []
-            for (const [alias, dir] of Object.entries(directDependenciesByImporterId[project.id])) {
-              if (rootProjectDeps[alias] !== dir) {
-                directPkgDirs.push(dir)
-              }
-            }
-          }
-          await linkBinsOfPackages(
-            (
-              await Promise.all(
-                directPkgDirs.map(async (dir) => ({
-                  location: dir,
-                  manifest: await safeReadProjectManifestOnly(dir),
-                }))
-              )
-            )
-              .filter(({ manifest }) => manifest != null) as Array<{ location: string, manifest: DependencyManifest }>,
-            project.binsDir,
-            {
+    if (!skipPostImportLinking) {
+      const rootProjectDeps = !opts.dedupeDirectDeps ? {} : (directDependenciesByImporterId['.'] ?? {})
+      /** Skip linking and due to no project manifest */
+      if (!opts.ignorePackageManifest) {
+        await Promise.all(selectedProjects.map(async (project) => {
+          if (opts.nodeLinker === 'hoisted' || opts.publicHoistPattern?.length && path.relative(opts.lockfileDir, project.rootDir) === '') {
+            await linkBinsOfImporter(project, {
              extraNodePaths: opts.extraNodePaths,
              preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
+            })
+          } else {
+            let directPkgDirs: string[]
+            if (project.id === '.') {
+              directPkgDirs = Object.values(directDependenciesByImporterId[project.id])
+            } else {
+              directPkgDirs = []
+              for (const [alias, dir] of Object.entries(directDependenciesByImporterId[project.id])) {
+                if (rootProjectDeps[alias] !== dir) {
+                  directPkgDirs.push(dir)
+                }
+              }
            }
-          )
-        }
-      }))
+            await linkBinsOfPackages(
+              (
+                await Promise.all(
+                  directPkgDirs.map(async (dir) => ({
+                    location: dir,
+                    manifest: await safeReadProjectManifestOnly(dir),
+                  }))
+                )
+              )
+                .filter(({ manifest }) => manifest != null) as Array<{ location: string, manifest: DependencyManifest }>,
+              project.binsDir,
+              {
+                extraNodePaths: opts.extraNodePaths,
+                preferSymlinkedExecutables: opts.preferSymlinkedExecutables,
+              }
+            )
+          }
+        }))
+      }
    }
    const injectedDeps: Record<string, string[]> = {}
    for (const project of projectsToBeBuilt) {
@@ -671,7 +687,7 @@ export async function headlessInstall (opts: HeadlessOptions): Promise<Installat

  summaryLogger.debug({ prefix: lockfileDir })

-  if (!opts.ignoreScripts && !opts.ignorePackageManifest) {
+  if (!opts.ignoreScripts && !opts.ignorePackageManifest && !skipPostImportLinking) {
    await runLifecycleHooksConcurrently(
      ['preinstall', 'install', 'postinstall', 'preprepare', 'prepare', 'postprepare'],
      projectsToBeBuilt,
--- a/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/fetch.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/fetch.ts
@@ -76,5 +76,12 @@ export async function handler (opts: FetchCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
    // to let the subsequent install know that hoisting should be performed.
    hoistPattern: [],
    publicHoistPattern: [],
+    // virtualStoreOnly skips post-import linking (symlinks, bins, hoisting)
+    // even if ignorePackageManifest handling changes in the future.
+    virtualStoreOnly: true,
+    // Ensure fetch can populate the virtual store even when the user has
+    // enable-modules-dir=false in their config — fetch always needs node_modules/.pnpm
+    // (unless GVS is active, in which case enableModulesDir doesn't matter).
+    enableModulesDir: true,
  } as InstallOptions)
 }
--- a/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/install.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/install.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export function rcOptionsTypes (): Record<string, unknown> {
    'unsafe-perm',
    'verify-store-integrity',
    'virtual-store-dir',
+    'virtual-store-only',
  ], allTypes)
 }

--- a/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/installDeps.ts
+++ b/pkg-manager/plugin-commands-installation/src/installDeps.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export type InstallDepsOptions = Pick<Config,
 | 'depth'
 | 'dev'
 | 'enableGlobalVirtualStore'
+| 'virtualStoreOnly'
 | 'engineStrict'
 | 'excludeLinksFromLockfile'
 | 'global'