diff --git a/R/config.R b/R/config.R
index ed91ba76..7ac65222 100644
--- a/R/config.R
+++ b/R/config.R
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@ rhino_config_definition <- list(
     validator = option_validator("app_dir", "source", "box_top_level"),
     required = FALSE
   ),
-  list(
-    name = "js_package_manager",
-    validator = option_validator("npm", "bun"),
-    required = FALSE
-  ),
   list(
     name = "legacy_max_lint_r_errors",
     validator = positive_integer_validator,
@@ -83,11 +78,5 @@ validate_config <- function(definition, config) {
 read_config <- function() {
   config <- read_yaml("rhino")
   validate_config(rhino_config_definition, config)
-  # using npm by default
-  config$js_package_manager <- ifelse(
-    is.null(config$js_package_manager),
-    "npm",
-    config$js_package_manager
-  )
   config
 }
diff --git a/R/node.R b/R/node.R
index a63a245c..866cded1 100644
--- a/R/node.R
+++ b/R/node.R
@@ -2,16 +2,9 @@ node_path <- function(...) {
   fs::path(".rhino", ...)
 }
 
-add_node <- function(clean = FALSE) {
-  if (clean && fs::dir_exists(node_path())) {
-    fs::dir_delete(node_path())
-  }
-  copy_template("node", node_path())
-}
-
 # Run `npm`/`bun` command (assume node directory already exists in the project).
 js_package_manager_raw <- function(..., status_ok = 0) {
-  command <- read_config()$js_package_manager
+  command <- Sys.getenv("RHINO_NPM", "npm")
   withr::with_dir(node_path(), {
     status <- system2(command = command, args = c(...))
   })
@@ -22,14 +15,11 @@ js_package_manager_raw <- function(..., status_ok = 0) {
 
 # Run `npm`/`bun` command (create node directory in the project if needed).
 js_package_manager <- function(...) {
-  command <- read_config()$js_package_manager
-  display_names <- list(
-    npm = "Node.js",
-    bun = "Bun"
-  )
+  command <- Sys.getenv("RHINO_NPM", "npm")
+  display_name <- ifelse(command == "npm", "Node.js", command)
   check_system_dependency(
     cmd = command,
-    dependency_name = display_names[[command]],
+    dependency_name = display_name,
     documentation_url = "https://go.appsilon.com/rhino-system-dependencies"
   )
   init_js_package_manager()
@@ -37,13 +27,16 @@ js_package_manager <- function(...) {
 }
 
 init_js_package_manager <- function() {
-  command <- read_config()$js_package_manager
+  command <- Sys.getenv("RHINO_NPM", "npm")
   if (!fs::dir_exists(node_path())) {
-    message("Initializing Javascript packages…")
-    add_node()
+    message("Initializing Javascript configs\u2026")
+    copy_template("node", node_path())
   }
+
+  # existing .rhino and missing node_modules folder
+  # indicate that packages were not installed but rhino project initialized
   if (!fs::dir_exists(node_path("node_modules"))) {
-    message("Installing dependencies by ", command, "…")
+    message("Installing dependencies by ", command, "\u2026")
     js_package_manager_raw("install", "--no-audit", "--no-fund")
   }
 }
diff --git a/inst/templates/app_structure/rhino.yml b/inst/templates/app_structure/rhino.yml
index f3e28992..fea13278 100644
--- a/inst/templates/app_structure/rhino.yml
+++ b/inst/templates/app_structure/rhino.yml
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 sass: node
-js_package_manager: npm
diff --git a/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd b/vignettes/explanation/node-js-javascript-and-sass-tools.Rmd
index e9044fd9..1adeed9e 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`, enter
+`RHINO_NPM=bun`.
 
 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:
diff --git a/vignettes/explanation/rhino-yml.Rmd b/vignettes/explanation/rhino-yml.Rmd
index 0f9ce56b..f43b223a 100644
--- a/vignettes/explanation/rhino-yml.Rmd
+++ b/vignettes/explanation/rhino-yml.Rmd
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ options are described below.
 ```yaml
 sass: string               # required | one of: "node", "r"
 legacy_entrypoint: string  # optional | one of: "app_dir", "source", "box_top_level"
-js_package_manager: string # optional | one of: "npm", "bun"
 ```
 
 ### `sass`
@@ -31,7 +30,3 @@ Read more in [Explanation: Node.js - JavaScript and Sass tools](https://appsilon
 ### `legacy_entrypoint`
 This setting is useful when migrating an existing Shiny application to Rhino. For more details see
 [`rhino::app()` details section](https://appsilon.github.io/rhino/reference/app.html#details-1).
-
-### `js_package_manager`
-Configures whether [JavaScript packages](https://www.npmjs.com/) should be installed using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) or [bun](https://bun.sh/).
-It allows to avoid installation of Node.js, and using Bun Javascript runtime.