Johnny UnarThe polyrepo problem
The polyrepo approach — one repository per package, app, or service — works until it doesn't. You update a shared utility and need to publish it, then update the version in 5 consuming repos, then open 5 PRs, then wait for 5 CI pipelines. A change that should take 10 minutes takes a day. Monorepos solve this by putting everything in one repository: shared libraries, frontend apps, backend services, and configuration — all versioned together.
Turborepo vs. Nx
Turborepo and Nx are the two leading monorepo tools for TypeScript. Both provide task orchestration (run build across all packages in dependency order), caching (skip work that hasn't changed), and affected detection (only test packages impacted by your changes). Turborepo is simpler — it's a build system that does one thing well. Nx is more opinionated — it includes code generators, dependency graphs, and plugin ecosystems. For most teams under 50 developers, Turborepo's simplicity wins.
Clear package boundaries
The key to a healthy monorepo is clear package boundaries. Each package should have a single responsibility, a well-defined public API (exported through index.ts), and its own tsconfig.json. Use TypeScript project references for fast incremental builds. Enforce dependency rules — a UI component package shouldn't import from a database package. Tools like Nx's module boundary rules or custom ESLint rules make this enforceable, not just aspirational.
Shared configuration superpower
Shared configuration is the underrated superpower. One ESLint config, one Prettier config, one tsconfig base, one Tailwind preset — shared across every package. When you update a linting rule, it applies everywhere instantly. When you onboard a new developer, they learn one set of conventions. At steezr, every client project starts as a Turborepo monorepo with shared configs, a UI package, and app-specific packages. The upfront investment pays for itself within the first month.
