Monorepo with Next.js (2023): Managing Complex Projects Easier - A Theoretical Guide
Published: 2023-03-20 20:48:18

One of the oldest problems that companies have gone through or are going through or will live through (from companies like Google, Uber, Facebook to startups) is related to the management of their projects, especially the most complex ones, which involve several teams working in different parts of the software whether large or small.
And when that happens, companies tend to look for ways to manage projects and one of the most used approaches is Monorepo, which consists of storing all the project's source codes in a single repository.
And with Next.js, this approach can be made even more efficient and easier to manage.
## Summary

- What is Monorepo?
- Monorepo: Benefits
- Monorepo: Disadvantages
- Next.js and Monorepo
- Conclusion
- Author

## What is Monorepo?

**Monorepo** or **Monolithic Repository** is a single repository that contains multiple projects.

**Monorepo**, is an approach used to manage software projects, which consists of storing all project source codes in a single source code repository.

Instead of keeping software components in separate repositories like in [Turborepo](https://), the **Monorepo** approach all components, projects, libraries and so on are kept in a single place/repository , making it easier for teams working on several projects at the same time to share code, as the codes used in various parts of different projects can be abstracted, thus facilitating their maintenance.

## Monorepo: Benefits

1. **Easier code sharing between projects**: With all projects in a single repository, it's easy to share code and components between different projects. This can reduce development time, avoid code duplication, and maintain consistency across projects.

2. **Simplifies the deployment of changes to multiple software components**.

3. **Facilitates discovering cross-project code dependencies**: May reduce the risk of merge conflicts

4. **Increased Project Visibility**: In a monorepo, it's easier to view all projects and components in one place, which can help management teams better understand project scope and make informed decisions.

5. **Ease of continuous integration and continuous delivery**: With all projects in a single repository, it's easier to manage continuous integration and continuous delivery, allowing development teams to work more efficiently and avoid issues with releases outdated.

## Monorepo: Disadvantages

Despite its benefits, managing a **Monorepo** is still a challenging task, especially for large-scale projects.

1. **Repository Size**: With all projects in a single repository, the repository size can get large and difficult to manage, especially in large projects. This can cause performance issues and difficulties working with the repository.

2. **Code Conflicts**: With many developers working on a single repository, there can be code conflicts and issues with changes that affect multiple projects. This can be especially problematic with large teams and complex projects.

3. **Testing**: Testing a monorepo can be more complicated than testing separate projects, as changes in one project can affect other projects and components. This can increase the complexity of testing and make it more difficult to guarantee code quality.

4. **Developing in parallel**: In a monorepo, it can be difficult to develop projects in parallel, as changes in one project can affect other projects and components. This can make it difficult for multiple development teams working simultaneously.

## Next.js and Monorepo

**Next.js** is a react framework used for web development allowing to create server side we applications (Server Side Render) with ease.

**Next.js**, in addition to being the most used framework for web development, also has built-in resources that facilitate the implementation or integration of **Monorepo**.

### Configuring Monorepo with NextJs

[Walkthrough](https://turbo.build/repo/docs/getting-started/create-new)

With Next.js, it's easy to set up a Monorepo project. Next.js provides a set of dependency management features such as Yarn Workspaces that allow you to manage multiple package dependencies within a single project.

Additionally, Next.js supports a shared component architecture, where you can create shared React components throughout your project. This can be especially useful in a Monorepo project, where components need to be shared across multiple apps.

For example, suppose you are building an online store that consists of a main app and several secondary apps, such as an inventory management app and an order management app. In a Monorepo project with Next.js, you can have a shared directory called "components", where you can store React components that are shared across all apps. This can include components such as headers, footers, and sidebars that need to display across multiple apps.

Another advantage of using Next.js in a Monorepo project is that it allows you to use different environments for different parts of your project, allowing for greater flexibility in managing your code. For example, you can have a separate development environment for each app and shared library, allowing teams to work on different parts of the project without interfering with each other's work.

## Conclusion

Monorepo is an increasingly popular approach to managing complex software projects. And with Next.js, this approach can be made even more efficient and easier to manage. With built-in features for dependency management and component sharing, Next.js is an excellent choice for Monorepo projects.

However, it is important to remember that managing a Monorepo project can still be challenging, especially for large-scale projects. Make sure you have a clear strategy for managing dependencies, testing, deployment and continuous integration and continuous delivery, and use the right tools to help streamline the process.

If you're considering using Monorepo in your next Next.js project, it's worth a try and evaluate the benefits and challenges this approach can bring to your software project.

## To have in count

While **monorepo** is an efficient approach to managing software projects with multiple projects or components, it does not eliminate the fact that there are challenges to be considered. When deciding to use monorepo, it's important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages and assess whether this approach is right for your specific software project.

Before deciding to use Monorepo the following question must be asked: _What is the problem I am trying to solve?_

## Author

- Name: **Dálcio Garcia**
- Role: **Front End Developer**
- Github: [dalcio](https://github.com/dalcio)
- Linkedin: [Dálcio Macuete Garcia](https://linkedin.com/in/dalcio-garcia)
- Portfolio: [dalciogarcia](https://dalciogarcia.vercel.app)