Say it like this
- We're managing a monorepo with five different services.
- The monorepo approach has simplified our CI/CD pipeline.
- Setting up a monorepo requires careful tooling and discipline.
Use it at work
Explaining
- All our services live in one monorepo.
- The monorepo makes shared code easy.
Tooling
- We use Nx to manage the monorepo.
- CI only builds projects that changed in the monorepo.
Pushing back
- The monorepo is getting slow to clone.
- Should this new service go in the monorepo?
Don't say this
Monorepo is a noun describing a repository structure, not a verb. You do not monorepo something; you move code into a monorepo or adopt a monorepo approach.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| monorepo | Many projects in one repository | Engineers | Code organization |
| monolith | One big application | Engineers | Architecture |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your company is considering one repository for all projects. Which sounds most natural?
2. Our _______ contains three separate frontend applications and one backend service.
3. Which sentence uses monorepo incorrectly?
4. Rewrite using monorepo naturally: The code for all our services is in one version control system now, and it has been good for coordination.
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We're managing a monorepo with five different services."
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More about monorepo
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"The monorepo is slowing down our build times, so we should look into optimizing our CI configuration."
- in a code review
"Since we're using a monorepo, your changes to the shared library will affect the frontend and backend packages."
- in a team meeting
"Moving to a monorepo means we can release all services together instead of managing separate release cycles."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Monorepo is a noun referring to a repository structure, not a verb. Do not use it as an action (e.g., do not say to monorepo something). It describes a single repository containing multiple projects.
- ✕Let us create a monorepo for each team.✓Let's create separate monorepos for each team or use one monorepo with team-specific directories.
The whole point of a monorepo is to have one unified repository. If you create separate ones per team, you are using a polyrepo approach instead.
- ✕The monorepo stores all our data.✓The monorepo stores all our source code and related projects.
A monorepo is for version control of code and projects, not for storing application data or databases.
Other forms(3)
- monorepo noun
"Our monorepo contains twelve different microservices and shared libraries."
- monorepo approach noun
"The monorepo approach has reduced the time it takes to coordinate releases across teams."
- monorepo adjective
"We need a monorepo structure to improve our build efficiency."
Often used with(5)
- migrate to a monorepo · Used when moving from multiple repositories to a single repository
- manage a monorepo · Used to describe maintaining and organizing code within a monorepo
- monorepo tooling · Refers to specialized tools needed to handle builds and dependencies in a monorepo
- monorepo strategy · Describes the overall approach and decisions about how to organize a monorepo
- monorepo structure · Refers to how the directories and projects are organized within the monorepo
Similar words(2)
- single repository · More literal description but less commonly used in industry
- unified repository · Emphasizes the centralized nature but does not specify it contains multiple projects
Opposites(2)
- polyrepo
- multi-repo
Questions(5)
- What does monorepo mean in software engineering?
- A monorepo (short for monolithic repository) is a single version control repository that stores multiple related projects or packages instead of spreading them across separate repositories. It allows teams to manage interconnected code in one centralized location, making it easier to share code, coordinate releases, and maintain consistency across projects.
- How do you use monorepo in a sentence at work?
- You typically use monorepo as a noun to describe the repository structure. For example: Our monorepo contains all our microservices and shared libraries. We migrated to a monorepo to improve our build efficiency. The monorepo approach requires careful tooling. You do not use it as a verb (e.g., do not say to monorepo something).
- Is monorepo formal or informal?
- Monorepo is neutral in formality. It is standard technical jargon used in both casual team conversations and formal documentation. It is appropriate for code reviews, standups, meetings, and written technical documents. While it originated as informal jargon (a portmanteau), it is now widely accepted industry terminology.
- What is the difference between a monorepo and a polyrepo?
- A monorepo stores multiple related projects in a single repository, while a polyrepo uses separate repositories for each project. Monorepos improve coordination and code sharing but can become harder to manage as they grow. Polyrepos offer independence and cleaner separation but require more effort to coordinate changes across projects.
- What tools are used to manage a monorepo?
- Common monorepo tools include Yarn workspaces, npm workspaces, Nx, Turborepo, Bazel, and Lerna. These tools help manage dependencies, run builds and tests efficiently across multiple projects, and control which projects are affected by changes.
