diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
index d1ea1fa6..2be0b0f1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yml
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ jobs:
         - {os: ubuntu-22.04, r: 'oldrel'}
 
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout E2E Directory
-        # Only checkout the necessary files; the DESCRIPTION file breaks test_r() due to Issue #461
-        uses: Bhacaz/checkout-files@v2
+      - name: Checkout E2E directory
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
-          files: tests/e2e
-          branch: ${{ github.head_ref || github.ref_name }}
+          # Only checkout the necessary files; the DESCRIPTION file breaks test_r():
+          # https://github.com/Appsilon/rhino/issues/461
+          sparse-checkout: /tests/e2e/
+          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
 
       - name: Install R
         uses: r-lib/actions/setup-r@v2
@@ -64,6 +65,13 @@ jobs:
           cd RhinoApp
           Rscript ../test-dependencies.R
 
+      - name: Node.js commands should respect RHINO_NPM
+        # Skip this test on Windows because it requires a Unix shell.
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+        run: |
+          cd RhinoApp
+          Rscript ../test-custom-npm.R
+
       - name: lint_r() should detect lint errors in R scripts
         if: always()
         run: |
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 33cf765c..b1d65880 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
-# rhino (development-next)
+# rhino (development version)
 
-
-# rhino (development)
+# [rhino 1.6.0](https://github.com/Appsilon/rhino/releases/tag/v1.6.0)
 
 1. `pkg_install` supports installation from local sources, GitHub, and Bioconductor.
 2. Improve Rhino CI (use latest versions and make better use of actions).
@@ -13,6 +12,8 @@
     * `lint_sass()` now uses `stylelint` 14.16 (the last major version supporting stylistic rules)
     * Upgrade all remaining Node.js dependencies to latest versions and fix vulnerabilities.
     * The minimum supported Node.js version is now 16.
+4. Introduce `RHINO_NPM` environment variable
+to allow using `npm` alternatives like `bun` and `pnpm`.
 
 # [rhino 1.5.0](https://github.com/Appsilon/rhino/releases/tag/v1.5.0)
 
diff --git a/R/node.R b/R/node.R
index 2263eb64..7f0fbae9 100644
--- a/R/node.R
+++ b/R/node.R
@@ -2,33 +2,36 @@ node_path <- function(...) {
   fs::path(".rhino", ...)
 }
 
-add_node <- function(clean = FALSE) {
-  if (clean && fs::dir_exists(node_path())) {
-    fs::dir_delete(node_path())
+# Run `npm` or an alternative command specified by `RHINO_NPM`.
+# If needed, copy over Node.js template and install dependencies.
+npm <- function(...) {
+  npm_command <- Sys.getenv("RHINO_NPM", "npm")
+  check_system_dependency(
+    cmd = npm_command,
+    dependency_name = ifelse(npm_command == "npm", "Node.js", npm_command),
+    documentation_url = "https://go.appsilon.com/rhino-system-dependencies"
+  )
+  node_init(npm_command)
+  node_run(npm_command, ...)
+}
+
+node_init <- function(npm_command) {
+  if (!fs::dir_exists(node_path())) {
+    cli::cli_alert_info("Initializing Node.js directory...")
+    copy_template("node", node_path())
+  }
+  if (!fs::dir_exists(node_path("node_modules"))) {
+    cli::cli_alert_info("Installing Node.js packages with {npm_command}...")
+    node_run(npm_command, "install", "--no-audit", "--no-fund")
   }
-  copy_template("node", node_path())
 }
 
-# Run `npm` command (assume node directory already exists in the project).
-npm_raw <- function(..., status_ok = 0) {
+# Run the specified command in Node.js directory (assume it already exists).
+node_run <- function(command, ..., status_ok = 0) {
   withr::with_dir(node_path(), {
-    status <- system2(command = "npm", args = c(...))
+    status <- system2(command = command, args = c(...))
   })
   if (status != status_ok) {
-    cli::cli_abort("System command 'npm' exited with status {status}.")
-  }
-}
-
-# Run `npm` command (create node directory in the project if needed).
-npm <- function(...) {
-  check_system_dependency(
-    cmd = "node",
-    dependency_name = "Node.js",
-    documentation_url = "https://go.appsilon.com/rhino-system-dependencies"
-  )
-  if (!fs::dir_exists(node_path())) {
-    add_node()
-    npm_raw("install", "--no-audit", "--no-fund")
+    cli::cli_abort("System command '{command}' exited with status {status}.")
   }
-  npm_raw(...)
 }
diff --git a/inst/WORDLIST b/inst/WORDLIST
index 70df777b..c89b7b65 100644
--- a/inst/WORDLIST
+++ b/inst/WORDLIST
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+Addin
+Addins
 Appsilon
 Boxifying
 ESLint
@@ -13,9 +15,11 @@ Renv
 Renviron
 Rhinoverse
 Rprofile
+Rstudio
 SDK
 Stylelint
 UI
+Webpack
 blogpost
 conf
 config
@@ -41,6 +45,7 @@ nodejs
 npm
 nvm
 overridable
+pnpm
 preconfigured
 renv
 roxygen
@@ -54,5 +59,3 @@ unintuitive
 usethis
 webpack
 yml
-Addin
-Addins
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test-custom-npm.R b/tests/e2e/test-custom-npm.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91f43a44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/test-custom-npm.R
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+local({
+  tmp <- withr::local_tempdir()
+  wrapper_path <- fs::path(tmp, "wrapper")
+  touch_path <- fs::path(tmp, "it_works")
+
+  # Prepare a wrapper script which creates an "it_works" file and runs npm.
+  fs::file_create(wrapper_path, mode = "u=rwx")
+  writeLines(
+    c(
+      "#!/bin/sh",
+      paste("touch", touch_path),
+      'exec npm "$@"'
+    ),
+    wrapper_path
+  )
+
+  # Use the wrapper script instead of npm.
+  withr::local_envvar(RHINO_NPM = wrapper_path)
+  rhino:::npm("--version")
+
+  testthat::expect_true(fs::file_exists(touch_path))
+})
diff --git a/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd b/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd
index e9044fd9..b896e43d 100644
--- a/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ vignette: >
 can execute JavaScript code outside a web browser. It is used widely for
 web development. Its package manager,
 [npm](https://docs.npmjs.com/about-npm), makes it easy to install
-virtually any JavaScript library.
+virtually any JavaScript library. You can use other package managers such as
+[bun](https://bun.sh) and [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/) that are compatible with
+`npm`.
+
+To switch from the default npm usage, set a global environment variable named
+`RHINO_NPM`. For instance, if you want to use `bun` instead of `npm`,
+add `export RHINO_NPM=bun` to your shell startup file (e.g. `.bashrc`).
 
 Rhino uses Node.js to provide state of the art tools for working with
 JavaScript and Sass. The following functions require Node.js to work:
@@ -26,7 +32,7 @@ JavaScript and Sass. The following functions require Node.js to work:
 
 ### Node directory
 
-Under the hood Rhino will create a `.rhino/node` directory in your
+Under the hood Rhino will create a `.rhino` directory in your
 project to store the specific libraries needed by these tools. This
 directory is git-ignored by default and safe to remove.