Migrating to a monorepo structure from multiple repositories can streamline your development process, but it requires careful planning and execution. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you through the transition.
Step 1: Preparation
Evaluate the benefits: Assess if the monorepo model aligns with your team's workflow and goals.
Communication: Discuss the migration plan with your team to ensure everyone understands the benefits and the process.
Choose the right tools: Select tools that support monorepo management, such as Lerna, Yarn Workspaces, or Bazel, which can aid in the transition and future management.
Step 2: Planning
Structure your monorepo: Decide on the directory structure of the monorepo, considering how to group projects and shared code.
Dependency management: Plan how to handle dependencies between projects, possibly using workspace tools or package managers that support monorepos.
Step 3: Combining Repositories
Start with a new repository or designate one of the existing repositories as the monorepo.
Gradually move other projects into the monorepo, ensuring to maintain their history. Tools like
git subtree
can be used for this purpose.Resolve any conflicts that arise from combining repositories, such as overlapping files or incompatible git histories.
Step 4: Configuring the Build System
Set up build configurations that handle the newly structured projects. Ensure that the build system can handle incremental builds and can scale with the monorepo.
Test the build process thoroughly to ensure that all projects build correctly in the new setup.
Step 5: Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Adjust your CI/CD pipelines to work with the monorepo. This might involve setting up path filters to trigger builds only for changed projects.
Optimize CI/CD for speed and efficiency, possibly using caching and parallelization techniques.
Step 6: Training and Documentation
Update your documentation to reflect the new monorepo structure and workflows.
Train your team on the new processes, ensuring everyone is comfortable with the new system.
Step 7: Monitoring and Optimization
Monitor the monorepo for any issues that might arise post-migration.
Continuously optimize the monorepo setup to handle the evolving needs of your projects.