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TypeScript Academy · Lesson

Monorepos & Project References

Create a workspace monorepo and wire TypeScript Project References for fast, incremental builds and clean inter-package types.

Lesson 1 of 18 steps

Monorepos & Project References is a free TypeScript Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 1 of 1. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the TypeScript Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The TypeScript Academy course includes 1 lessons in total.

Intro

Goal: Organize a monorepo that scales. You will declare workspaces, add Project References, and build with tsc -b for incremental output.

  • pnpm/yarn workspaces
  • Composite projects
  • Shared types

Workspace layout

A simple two-package layout: shared (library) and app (depends on shared). Workspaces link local packages.

# folder structure (for reference)
			/monorepo
			package.json
			tsconfig.base.json
			packages/
			shared/
			src/index.ts
			package.json
			tsconfig.json
			app/
			src/index.ts
			package.json
			tsconfig.json

Root workspaces

Declare workspaces so the package manager links local deps. Add build/clean scripts using the TS build mode.

// package.json (root)
			{
			"name": "monorepo",
			"private": true,
			"workspaces": ["packages/*"],
			"scripts": {
			"build": "tsc -b packages/*",
			"clean": "tsc -b packages/* --clean"
			}
			}

Shared package

Mark the library as a composite project. Emit declarations so dependents can type-check quickly.

// packages/shared/tsconfig.json
{
  "extends": "../../tsconfig.base.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "outDir": "dist",
    "rootDir": "src",
    "declaration": true,
    "composite": true
  },
  "include": ["src"]
}

// packages/shared/src/index.ts
export interface User { id: string; name: string }
export const hello = (u: User) => `Hello, ${u.name}`

App package + refs

Add a references entry to depend on shared. The builder compiles shared first, then app.

// packages/app/tsconfig.json
			{
			"extends": "../../tsconfig.base.json",
			"compilerOptions": {
			"outDir": "dist",
			"rootDir": "src",
			"composite": true
			},
			"references": [
			{ "path": "../shared" }
			],
			"include": ["src"]
			}

			// packages/app/src/index.ts
		import { hello } from "shared"
console.log(hello({ id: "u1", name: "Ada" }))

Base config & tips

Tips:

  • Create tsconfig.base.json for shared compiler options.
  • Use paths mappings that mirror package names.
  • Run tsc -b --watch for incremental local dev.

References requirement check

Quick check: What must each referenced package include?

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

Recap: Workspaces link local packages; Project References (composite + references) unlock fast, incremental tsc -b builds and reliable cross-package types.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Monorepos & Project References” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Monorepos & Project References” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the TypeScript Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The TypeScript Academy course includes 1 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Monorepos & Project References”?

Create a workspace monorepo and wire TypeScript Project References for fast, incremental builds and clean inter-package types. You practise TypeScript Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start TypeScript Academy?

No prior experience is required. TypeScript Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 1 of 1.

How long does the “Monorepos & Project References” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this TypeScript Academy lesson?

Yes. Every TypeScript Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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