Monorepo Explained: Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices

Monorepos have become a popular way to organize codebases, especially for companies managing multiple projects or teams. But what exactly is a monorepo, and why might it be the right choice for your organization?

Monorepo Concept Diagram

What Is a Monorepo?

A monorepo (short for “monolithic repository”) is a version control strategy where code for multiple projects, libraries, or services is stored within a single repository instead of splitting them across many repos.

  • All related code lives in one place
  • Projects can share dependencies and tooling easily
  • Teams collaborate on shared components with greater visibility

This contrasts with a polyrepo approach, where each project or service has its own separate repository.

Monorepo vs Polyrepo Illustration

Benefits of Using a Monorepo

Centralizing your codebase offers several advantages:

  • Simplified dependency management: Shared libraries can be updated and versioned consistently.
  • Improved code reuse: Components and utilities are easily accessible across projects.
  • Consistent tooling and standards: Enforce uniform linting, formatting, and testing practices.
  • Better collaboration: Teams can see changes across projects, improving cross-team communication.
  • Atomic commits: Changes affecting multiple projects can be committed together, reducing integration issues.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite its advantages, monorepos also present unique challenges:

  • Scaling: Large codebases may require sophisticated tools for build optimization and dependency graph analysis.
  • Access control: Managing permissions can be more complex since all projects share the same repo.
  • Tooling requirements: Standard git workflows might need extension with tools like Bazel, Nx, or Lerna.
  • Onboarding: New team members may face a steeper learning curve navigating a bigger codebase.

Careful planning and choosing the right tooling are key to overcoming these hurdles.

Monorepo Challenges

Best Practices for Monorepos

To make the most of a monorepo, consider these guidelines:

  • Modularize your code: Keep projects and libraries well-isolated within the repo.
  • Automate builds and tests: Use CI/CD pipelines to test affected projects only.
  • Use advanced tooling: Leverage build systems like Bazel or Nx for incremental builds.
  • Define clear ownership: Assign maintainers for different parts of the repo.
  • Maintain clear documentation: Help developers understand repo structure and workflows.
Best Practices for Monorepos

Is a Monorepo Right for You?

Monorepos can streamline development for organizations with multiple interconnected projects and teams. However, they require investment in tooling and discipline to scale effectively.

If your projects share dependencies and teams collaborate frequently, a monorepo may boost productivity and code quality. For smaller or more independent projects, a polyrepo might remain simpler.

Evaluating your team’s size, workflow, and long-term goals will guide the best choice.

Monorepos offer a powerful way to unify codebases and foster collaboration — when implemented thoughtfully, they can simplify complex development ecosystems and accelerate delivery.