diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a0283f6..119adfa 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@
   "version": "1.0.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "build": "SKIP_E2E_DEPS=true scripts/install.sh && scripts/build.mjs",
+    "build": "SKIP_E2E_DEPS=true scripts/install.mjs && scripts/build.mjs",
     "clean": "scripts/clean.mjs",
-    "install": "scripts/install.sh --force",
-    "lint": "scripts/install.sh && scripts/lint.mjs",
-    "start": "SKIP_E2E_DEPS=true scripts/install.sh && scripts/start.sh",
-    "test": "scripts/install.sh && scripts/lint.mjs && scripts/test.sh",
+    "install": "scripts/install.mjs --force",
+    "lint": "scripts/install.mjs && scripts/lint.mjs",
+    "start": "SKIP_E2E_DEPS=true scripts/install.mjs && scripts/start.mjs",
+    "test": "scripts/install.mjs && scripts/lint.mjs && scripts/test.sh",
     "format": "npm --prefix=backend run format --quiet && npm --prefix=frontend run format --quiet && npm --prefix=e2e run format --quiet",
     "test:backend": "npm --prefix=backend test --quiet --",
     "test:frontend": "npm --prefix=frontend test --quiet --",
     "test:frontend:watch": "npm --prefix=frontend test --quiet -- --watch",
-    "test:e2e": "scripts/install.sh && scripts/e2e.sh"
+    "test:e2e": "scripts/install.mjs && scripts/e2e.sh"
   }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/build.mjs b/scripts/build.mjs
index 9f2d603..98b53fe 100755
--- a/scripts/build.mjs
+++ b/scripts/build.mjs
@@ -14,10 +14,13 @@ import {
 import { stat, rename, chmod } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { runTask, runTaskPrefixOutput } from './helpers/proc.mjs';
 
-const PARALLEL_BUILD = process.env['PARALLEL_BUILD'] !== 'false';
+const PARALLEL_BUILD = (process.env['PARALLEL_BUILD'] ?? 'true') === 'true';
 const KEEP_DEPS = process.argv.slice(2).includes('--keep-deps');
 
-const packages = ['frontend', 'backend'];
+const packages = [
+  { dir: 'frontend', format: '35' },
+  { dir: 'backend', format: '36' },
+];
 const builddir = join(basedir, 'build');
 const staticdir = join(builddir, 'static');
 
@@ -31,12 +34,14 @@ try {
   process.exit(1);
 }
 
-async function buildPackage(pkg) {
-  log(`Building ${pkg}...`);
+async function buildPackage({ dir, format }) {
+  log(`Building ${dir}...`);
   await runTaskPrefixOutput({
     command: 'npm',
-    args: ['--prefix', join(basedir, pkg), 'run', 'build', '--quiet'],
-    outputPrefix: pkg,
+    args: ['run', 'build', '--quiet'],
+    cwd: join(basedir, dir),
+    outputPrefix: dir,
+    prefixFormat: format,
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/helpers/proc.mjs b/scripts/helpers/proc.mjs
index 67d421a..6386424 100644
--- a/scripts/helpers/proc.mjs
+++ b/scripts/helpers/proc.mjs
@@ -2,8 +2,15 @@ import { spawn, execFile } from 'node:child_process';
 
 const MAX_LINE_BUFFER = 10000;
 
-export function propagateStreamWithPrefix(stream, target, prefix) {
-  const pre = target.isTTY ? `\u001B[35m${prefix}:\u001B[0m ` : `${prefix}: `;
+export function propagateStreamWithPrefix(
+  stream,
+  target,
+  prefix,
+  prefixFormat,
+) {
+  const pre = target.isTTY
+    ? `\u001B[${prefixFormat}m${prefix}:\u001B[0m `
+    : `${prefix}: `;
   const suf = target.isTTY ? '\u001B[0m\n' : '\n';
   const curLine = Buffer.alloc(MAX_LINE_BUFFER);
   let curLineP = 0;
@@ -60,6 +67,7 @@ export function runTaskPrefixOutput({
   args,
   outputTarget = process.stderr,
   outputPrefix = command,
+  prefixFormat = '35',
   ...options
 } = {}) {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
@@ -67,8 +75,18 @@ export function runTaskPrefixOutput({
       ...options,
       stdio: ['ignore', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
     });
-    propagateStreamWithPrefix(proc.stdio[1], outputTarget, outputPrefix);
-    propagateStreamWithPrefix(proc.stdio[2], outputTarget, outputPrefix);
+    propagateStreamWithPrefix(
+      proc.stdio[1],
+      outputTarget,
+      outputPrefix,
+      prefixFormat,
+    );
+    propagateStreamWithPrefix(
+      proc.stdio[2],
+      outputTarget,
+      outputPrefix,
+      prefixFormat,
+    );
     proc.on('error', reject);
     proc.on('exit', handleExit(resolve, reject));
   });
diff --git a/scripts/install.mjs b/scripts/install.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..7b031bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/install.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { basedir, deleteDirectory, log, readJSON } from './helpers/io.mjs';
+import { stat } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { runTask } from './helpers/proc.mjs';
+
+const SKIP_E2E_DEPS = (process.env['SKIP_E2E_DEPS'] ?? 'false') === 'true';
+const FORCE = process.argv.slice(2).includes('--force');
+
+const packageJson = await readJSON(join(basedir, 'package.json'));
+const dependencyKeys = Object.keys(packageJson).filter((k) =>
+  k.toLowerCase().includes('dependencies'),
+);
+if (dependencyKeys.length > 0) {
+  log(`
+Dependencies should not be installed in root package.json!
+- remove ${dependencyKeys.map((v) => `"${v}"`).join(', ')}
+- add the dependencies to the desired subproject instead
+- re-run install
+`);
+  deleteDirectory(join(basedir, 'node_modules'));
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+async function installPackage(pkg) {
+  const s = await stat(join(basedir, pkg, 'node_modules')).catch(() => null);
+  if (s === null || FORCE) {
+    log(`Installing ${pkg} dependencies...`);
+    await runTask('npm', ['install', '--quiet'], {
+      cwd: join(basedir, pkg),
+      env: { ...process.env, DISABLE_OPENCOLLECTIVE: '1' },
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+await installPackage('frontend');
+await installPackage('backend');
+if (!SKIP_E2E_DEPS) {
+  await installPackage('e2e');
+}
diff --git a/scripts/install.sh b/scripts/install.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index b6569e6..0000000
--- a/scripts/install.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-set -e;
-
-BASEDIR="$(dirname "$0")/..";
-if echo " $* " | grep ' --force ' > /dev/null; then
-  FORCE='true';
-fi;
-
-if grep 'ependencies"' "$BASEDIR/package.json" > /dev/null; then
-  echo >&2;
-  echo >&2;
-  echo 'Dependencies should not be installed in root package.json!' >&2;
-  echo '- remove the dependencies and devDependencies' >&2;
-  echo '- add the dependencies to the desired subproject instead' >&2;
-  echo '- re-run install' >&2;
-  echo >&2;
-  echo >&2;
-  rm -rf "$BASEDIR/node_modules";
-  exit 1;
-fi
-
-install_subproject() {
-  local PROJECT="$1";
-  if [ ! -d "$BASEDIR/$PROJECT/node_modules" ] || [ "$FORCE" == 'true' ]; then
-    echo;
-    echo "Installing $PROJECT dependencies...";
-    DISABLE_OPENCOLLECTIVE=1 \
-    npm --prefix="$BASEDIR/$PROJECT" install --quiet;
-  fi;
-}
-
-install_subproject 'frontend';
-install_subproject 'backend';
-if [ "${SKIP_E2E_DEPS:-false}" != 'true' ]; then
-  install_subproject 'e2e';
-fi;
diff --git a/scripts/start.mjs b/scripts/start.mjs
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b92ac8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/start.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { basedir, log } from './helpers/io.mjs';
+import { runTaskPrefixOutput } from './helpers/proc.mjs';
+
+const forceMockSSO = process.argv.slice(2).includes('--mock-sso');
+const apiPort = Number.parseInt(process.env['PORT'] ?? '5000');
+const appPort = apiPort + 1;
+
+const frontendEnv = {
+  ...process.env,
+  PORT: String(appPort),
+};
+
+const backendEnv = {
+  ...process.env,
+  PORT: String(apiPort),
+  FORWARD_HOST: `http://localhost:${appPort}`,
+  SERVER_BIND_ADDRESS: 'localhost',
+};
+
+if (
+  forceMockSSO ||
+  (!process.env['SSO_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID'] &&
+    !process.env['SSO_GITHUB_CLIENT_ID'] &&
+    !process.env['SSO_GITLAB_CLIENT_ID'])
+) {
+  log('Using mock authentication provider');
+  const mockSSOPort = apiPort + 2;
+  const mockSSOHost = `http://localhost:${mockSSOPort}`;
+  backendEnv['MOCK_SSO_PORT'] = mockSSOPort;
+  backendEnv['SSO_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID'] = 'mock-client-id';
+  backendEnv['SSO_GOOGLE_AUTH_URL'] = `${mockSSOHost}/auth`;
+  backendEnv['SSO_GOOGLE_TOKEN_INFO_URL'] = `${mockSSOHost}/tokeninfo`;
+}
+
+log('Starting application...');
+await Promise.all([
+  runTaskPrefixOutput({
+    command: 'npm',
+    args: ['start', '--quiet'],
+    cwd: join(basedir, 'frontend'),
+    env: frontendEnv,
+    outputPrefix: 'frontend',
+    prefixFormat: '35',
+  }),
+  runTaskPrefixOutput({
+    command: 'npm',
+    args: ['start', '--quiet'],
+    cwd: join(basedir, 'backend'),
+    env: backendEnv,
+    outputPrefix: 'backend',
+    prefixFormat: '36',
+  }),
+]);
diff --git a/scripts/start.sh b/scripts/start.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 0c8dfcc..0000000
--- a/scripts/start.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-set -e;
-
-BASEDIR="$(dirname "$0")/..";
-
-API_PORT="${PORT:-5000}";
-APP_PORT="$((API_PORT + 1))";
-
-MOCK_SSO='true';
-if [ -n "$SSO_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID" ] || [ -n "$SSO_GITHUB_CLIENT_ID" ] || [ -n "$SSO_GITLAB_CLIENT_ID" ]; then
-  MOCK_SSO='false';
-fi;
-if echo " $* " | grep ' --mock-sso ' > /dev/null; then
-  MOCK_SSO='true';
-fi;
-
-if [ "$MOCK_SSO" == 'true' ]; then
-  echo 'Using mock authentication provider';
-  MOCK_SSO_PORT="$((API_PORT + 2))";
-  MOCK_SSO_HOST="http://localhost:$MOCK_SSO_PORT";
-  export SSO_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID='mock-client-id';
-  export SSO_GOOGLE_AUTH_URL="$MOCK_SSO_HOST/auth";
-  export SSO_GOOGLE_TOKEN_INFO_URL="$MOCK_SSO_HOST/tokeninfo";
-fi;
-
-echo 'Running frontend...';
-
-# Continue with script after failure so everything closes down nicely
-set +e;
-
-PORT="$APP_PORT" \
-npm --prefix="$BASEDIR/frontend" start --quiet & APP_PID="$!";
-
-trap "kill '$APP_PID'; wait '$APP_PID' > /dev/null" EXIT;
-
-echo 'Running backend...';
-
-PORT="$API_PORT" \
-FORWARD_HOST="http://localhost:$APP_PORT" \
-MOCK_SSO_PORT="$MOCK_SSO_PORT" \
-SERVER_BIND_ADDRESS="localhost" \
-npm --prefix="$BASEDIR/backend" start --quiet;