Structuring a Next.js Project as a Monorepo: Best Practices and Experience Feedback

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When developing a Next.js application that will grow over time — with multiple modules, backends, shared components — a monorepo architecture quickly becomes a necessity. After several projects, I'm sharing here my best practices for structuring a Next.js project in a clean, maintainable, and scalable monorepo.

📦 Why Switch to Monorepo?

• Centralize frontend, API, shared libraries
• Reduce code duplication (types, business logic)
• Simplify updates across all modules
• Better manage permissions / CI / tests

A well-structured monorepo also allows multiple people to work without overwriting other modules.

🧰 Recommended Tools

• Turborepo (or Nx) for cached builds
• pnpm with workspaces for fast dependency resolution
• TypeScript with projectReferences
• ESLint + Prettier configured at root level

📁 Basic Structure of a Next.js Monorepo

my-app/
├── apps/
│   ├── web/         → main Next.js app
│   └── admin/       → admin interface
├── packages/
│   ├── ui/          → shared components (design system)
│   ├── config/      → Tailwind, ESLint config, etc.
│   └── db/          → ORM, Drizzle schemas, DB helpers
├── .gitignore
├── package.json
├── turbo.json
└── tsconfig.json

Each sub-project can have its own dependencies while accessing common packages via workspaces.

🔄 Usage Example: Shared Components

The packages/ui folder contains components like <Button />, <Card />, <Layout />, all written in TypeScript and styled with Tailwind.

// packages/ui/button.tsx
export function Button({ children }) {
  return (
    <button className="rounded-xl px-4 py-2 bg-orange-500 text-white">
      {children}
    </button>
  );
}

Then, you import it from apps/web:

import { Button } from "@ui/button";

🧪 Tests and Shared Typing

In packages/types, I place all my shared types between frontend, backend, and API. This allows strict typing, especially for data retrieved with Drizzle ORM.

For tests, each app can embed its own Jest/Vitest, or we can share helpers in packages/test-utils.

🚀 Deployment and CI/CD

• Vercel natively supports Turborepo
• Github Actions or Husky to validate PRs
• Deployment per app (web, admin…) targeting only what changed

🎯 What a Well-Structured Monorepo Changes for My Clients

• Easier maintenance, even with multiple apps
• Single source of truth for types, components, functions
• Visual and technical consistency across the entire product
• Real scalability in the long term

📩 Want a Clean Architecture from the Start?

I support startups and ambitious web projects in their technical structuring, whether in creation or redesign.

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