Setup MonoRepo in Nest.js

Asibul Hasan — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 04:14:29 +0000

Monorepos are becoming the default choice for backend teams that manage more than one service or shared library. Nest.js works very well in a monorepo setup, and it even has built-in support for it.

In this post, you’ll learn:

What a monorepo is and why it’s useful
How Nest.js supports monorepos
How to set up a Nest.js monorepo step by step
A clean folder structure that scales
Common tips and pitfalls

No fluff. Just what you need to get it working.

What Is a Monorepo?

A monorepo is a single repository that contains multiple applications and shared libraries.

Instead of this:

api-repo/
auth-repo/
shared-utils-repo/

You have this:

backend/
 ├─ apps/
 └─ libs/

Why teams use monorepos

Shared code lives in one place
Easier refactoring across projects
One set of tooling and configs
Simpler dependency management

For Nest.js projects with microservices, background workers, or shared modules, a monorepo is a natural fit.

Nest.js Monorepo Support (Built-In)

Nest.js comes with first-class monorepo support via the Nest CLI. You don’t need Nx or Turborepo to get started. The CLI can generate apps and libraries inside one workspace.

This approach is:

Simple
Official
Easy to maintain

Monorepo Folder Structure

Here’s the structure we’re going to build:

nest-monorepo/
├─ apps/
│  ├─ api/
│  └─ auth/
├─ libs/
│  ├─ common/
│  └─ database/
├─ nest-cli.json
├─ tsconfig.base.json
└─ package.json

Meaning:

apps/ → runnable Nest.js applications
libs/ → shared modules, services, DTOs, helpers
common → filters, guards, interceptors
database → Prisma, TypeORM, or DB logic

Image: Nest.js Monorepo Architecture

You can include this image under the intro section.

![Nest.js Monorepo Architecture](https://your-image-url-here.com/nestjs-monorepo.png)

Image idea:

One repository box
Inside it: apps/api, apps/auth
Shared libs/common and libs/database
Arrows showing shared usage

This visual helps readers understand the layout instantly.

Step 1: Create a New Nest.js Workspace

Make sure you have the Nest CLI installed:

npm i -g @nestjs/cli

Create a monorepo workspace:

nest new nest-monorepo

During setup:

Choose npm, yarn, or pnpm
Enable ESLint and Prettier if you want

Nest automatically creates a workspace-ready project.

Step 2: Enable Monorepo Mode

Open nest-cli.json:

{
  "monorepo": true,
  "root": "apps/api",
  "sourceRoot": "apps/api/src",
  "projects": {}
}

Setting "monorepo": true tells Nest this repo will contain multiple apps and libraries.

Step 3: Create Your First App

Generate an app inside the monorepo:

nest generate app api

Create another one:

nest generate app auth

Now your apps/ folder looks like this:

apps/
├─ api/
└─ auth/

Each app is a fully independent Nest.js application.

Step 4: Create Shared Libraries

Libraries are where monorepos shine.

Create a shared library:

nest generate library common

Create a database library:

nest generate library database

Now you have:

libs/
├─ common/
└─ database/

Each library has:

Its own module
Its own tsconfig
Clean import paths

Step 5: Import a Library Into an App

Example: use CommonModule in the API app.

// apps/api/src/app.module.ts
import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { CommonModule } from '@app/common';

@Module({
  imports: [CommonModule],
})
export class AppModule {}

The @app/* alias is auto-configured by Nest.

No relative path mess. No hacks.

Step 6: Run Apps Independently

Run the API app:

nest start api

Run the auth app:

nest start auth

Each app:

Has its own port
Has its own environment variables
Can be deployed separately

Step 7: Build for Production

Build a specific app:

nest build api

Build all apps:

nest build

Output goes to the dist/ folder, separated by app name.

Best Practices for Nest.js Monorepos

Keep libraries small

Libraries should solve one problem. Don’t dump everything into common.

Avoid circular dependencies

If two apps depend on each other, rethink the design.

Share DTOs and interfaces

This avoids duplication and keeps APIs consistent.

One database library

Centralize database logic instead of duplicating connections.

When NOT to Use a Monorepo

A monorepo might not be ideal if:

You have a single small service
Teams are fully independent
Deployment pipelines are very different

For most growing backend systems, though, it’s worth it.

Final Thoughts

Nest.js monorepos are:

Easy to set up
Officially supported
Great for scaling backend systems

You get clean boundaries, shared code, and fewer repositories to manage. Start simple, add apps and libraries as your system grows, and keep the structure boring and predictable.

That’s what scales.

If you want, I can:

Add Nx on top of this
Convert it to a Medium-style blog
Create a real architecture diagram image
Add Docker + monorepo deployment

Just tell me.

DEV Community: Asibul Hasan