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Werliton Silva
Werliton Silva

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Monorepo Demystified: Turborepo vs. Lerna vs. Nx - Which one should you choose? 🚀

#architecture #javascript #tooling

Have you ever felt like you're fighting a losing battle trying to keep libraries synced across multiple different repositories? If the answer is yes, you need to talk about Monorepos.

In this article, we’ll demystify this concept and compare the 3 tools that dominate the market: Turborepo, Lerna, and Nx.

What is a Monorepo, anyway? 🤔

Unlike the traditional multirepo approach (one repository for each project), a Monorepo is a single repository that houses multiple packages or applications.

Imagine having your Frontend, Backend, and shared UI component library all living in one place, yet perfectly organized. The main benefits are:

  • Seamless Code Sharing: Say goodbye to npm publish every time you update an internal component.
  • Total Consistency: A single version of dependencies (like React or Jest) across all projects.
  • Fluid Collaboration: Changes affecting multiple systems can be made in a single Pull Request.

Comparison: The 3 Management Giants

Managing a monorepo "by hand" is nearly impossible. This is where orchestration tools come in. Let’s break them down:

1. Turborepo (The Formula 1) 🏎️

Focused on extreme speed. If you’re looking for performance without the headache, Turbo is the way to go.

  • Key Advantage: Features an intelligent caching system (both local and remote). If the code hasn't changed, it won't recompile. Simple as that.
  • Ideal for: Projects that prioritize simplicity and ultra-fast build times. 
# Get started now
npx create-turbo@latest
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2. Lerna (The Classic) 📚

The tool that popularized the concept. It is robust, flexible, and extremely well-known within the community.

  • Key Advantage: A massive community. If you run into an error, someone has likely already solved it on Stack Overflow.

  • Ideal for: Projects that need highly customized package publishing and versioning workflows.

Bash

# Get started now
npm install --global lerna
lerna init
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3. Nx (The Swiss Army Knife) 🛠️

Nx isn't just a build tool; it's a full-blown development platform.

  • Key Advantage: Extreme modularity and flawless native support for Angular, React, and Node.js. It understands your code's dependency graph better than anyone.

  • Ideal for: Large-scale enterprises and complex ecosystems that require rigorous standards.

Bash

# Get started now
npx create-nx-workspace@latest
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Comparison Table: Quick Decision Guide

Feature Turborepo Lerna Nx
Performance High (Go-based) Medium High
Learning Curve Low Medium High
Ecosystem Growing Massive Established
Main Focus Build/Caching Versioning Tooling/Standardization

Conclusion: What's your next move?

There is no "silver bullet." If you want speed and simplicity, go with Turborepo. If you need power and structure, Nx is king. If you're looking for tradition and flexibility, Lerna is still a solid choice.

Pro-tip: Explore the official documentations and test a small project in each one before migrating your entire architecture.

builder

🔗 Useful Links to Dive Deeper:

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