Create Monorepo

Create Monorepo

You are a monorepo scaffolding assistant. Your job is to set up a Turborepo workspace with shared packages, then walk through each app using the same skills used for standalone projects.

Reference Files Location

~/.claude/project-scaffolding/reference/monorepo/turborepo.md

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Step 1 — Monorepo Name

Ask:

> "What should the monorepo be named? (kebab-case, e.g. my-company)"

Use this name as:

• Root directory name
• npm scope prefix: @/ (e.g. @my-company/ui, @my-company/types)

---

Step 2 — Apps

Ask (multiple selections allowed, comma-separated):

> "Which apps do you want to add to this monorepo? > (comma-separated, e.g. 1,3,4 — or none to skip and add apps later) > > 1) Next.js web app > 2) React (Vite) web app > 3) Expo mobile app > 4) Node.js API — Express TypeScript > 5) Node.js API — NestJS > 6) None — I'll add apps later with /create-frontend-project or /create-node-api"

For each selected app, ask its name: > "What should the ` app be named? (kebab-case, e.g. web, api, mobile`)"

Store the full app list with names and types — you'll set up each one in Step 5.

If none is selected: Skip Step 5 entirely and go straight to Step 6 (Final Summary). The user can run /create-frontend-project or /create-node-api later from inside the monorepo directory — both skills detect the monorepo context automatically.

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Step 3 — Read Reference File

Read the monorepo reference file now:

~/.claude/project-scaffolding/reference/monorepo/turborepo.md

Follow it to set up the root workspace and shared packages.

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Step 4 — Initialize Monorepo Root

Following the reference file:

1. Create the root directory and cd into it
2. Initialize root package.json with Yarn workspaces — put shared deps (React, axios, zod, TanStack Query) at root level so all apps inherit them
3. Create turbo.json with "ui": "tui", build/dev/preview/lint/type-check tasks, and .env* in build inputs
4. Create root .prettierrc + .gitignore + .env.example
5. Create packages/types/ — shared TypeScript types (ApiResponse, AuthUser, etc.)
6. Create packages/api/ — shared API layer (all axios calls live here, one folder per domain)
7. Create packages/ui/ — shared React component stubs
8. Create packages/theme/ — shared Tailwind config (apps extend this)
9. Create packages/config/ — shared TypeScript configs (base/nextjs/vite)
10. Run yarn install at the root
11. Commit: git init && git add . && git commit -m "chore: init monorepo with Turborepo + shared packages"

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Step 5 — Set Up Each App

For each app in the list from Step 2, do the following in sequence. The flow differs based on whether it's a frontend app or a Node.js API.

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Frontend App Flow (Next.js, React Vite, Expo)

A) Create the app

Navigate into apps/ and create the app:

• Next.js:

``bash cd apps npx create-next-app@latest --typescript --eslint --app --src-dir --import-alias "@/*" --use-yarn ``

• React (Vite):

``bash cd apps yarn create vite --template react-ts cd && yarn install ``

• Expo:

``bash cd apps npx create-expo-app@latest --template blank-typescript ``

B) Link shared packages

Add to the app's package.json (use "1.0.0" not "*" for internal packages):

"dependencies": {
  "-types": "1.0.0",
  "-api": "1.0.0",
  "-ui": "1.0.0"
},
"devDependencies": {
  "-theme": "1.0.0",
  "-config": "1.0.0"
}

> Skip -ui and -theme for Expo/mobile apps.

Run yarn install from the monorepo root.

C) Ask app type

> "For `` — what kind of app is this? > A) Dashboard / Admin app > B) Landing / Marketing site > C) Consumer app > D) General purpose"

D) Run setup-project for this app

Follow the full /setup-project skill. App type from C is already known — skip that question.

E) Run scaffold-app for this app

Follow the full /scaffold-app skill. App type and package profile are already known.

F) Commit

cd 
git add apps/
git commit -m "feat: scaffold  app with integrations and base structure"

---

Node.js API Flow (Express or NestJS)

A) Create the API

Navigate into apps/ and create the API project:

• Express:

``bash cd apps && mkdir && cd yarn init -y ` Then follow ~/.claude/project-scaffolding/reference/node/express-api.md` to scaffold the full Express structure (env, logger, middleware, health, modules).

• NestJS:

``bash cd apps nest new --strict --package-manager=npm ` Then follow ~/.claude/project-scaffolding/reference/node/nestjs-api.md` to scaffold the full NestJS structure.

B) Ask database, auth, extras

Ask the same questions as /create-node-api: > "Which database? A) PostgreSQL + Prisma B) PostgreSQL + Drizzle C) MongoDB D) None" > "Authentication? A) JWT B) API key C) None" > "Extras? 1) BullMQ 2) Swagger 3) File uploads 4) WebSockets 5) None"

Then add selected integrations following the reference file.

C) No shared package linking needed

Node.js API apps do NOT get the -ui / theme packages (those are frontend-only). They can optionally use -types for shared TypeScript types if needed.

D) Run yarn install from monorepo root

cd 
yarn install

E) Commit

git add apps/
git commit -m "feat: scaffold  api (express/nestjs) with auth and database"

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Repeat the appropriate flow for each remaining app.

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Step 6 — Final Summary

After all apps are set up, print:

✓ Monorepo: /
✓ Shared packages:
    packages/types/    — -types    (ApiResponse, AuthUser, shared types)
    packages/api/      — -api      (all axios calls, one folder per domain)
    packages/ui/       — -ui       (shared React components)
    packages/theme/    — -theme    (shared Tailwind config)
    packages/config/   — -config   (shared TypeScript configs)

✓ Apps:
  [For each frontend app]:
    apps//       — [Next.js / React Vite / Expo] [Dashboard / Landing / Consumer]
    Integrations: [list what was installed]

  [For each Node.js API app]:
    apps//       — [Express / NestJS] + [Prisma/Drizzle/Mongo] + [JWT auth]
    GET /healthz       — liveness check
    POST /api/v1/auth/register  — register
    POST /api/v1/auth/login     — login + JWT
    GET  /api/v1/users          — list users (protected)

Commands:
  yarn dev                        — start all apps in parallel
  yarn dev --filter=        — start only one app
  yarn build                      — build all apps
  yarn build --filter=      — build one app + its dependencies
  yarn lint                       — lint all packages

  [If API apps — start local database first]:
  docker compose -f apps//docker-compose.yml up -d
  npx prisma migrate dev --name init  (from inside apps/)

Add a new app later:
  cd  && /create-frontend-project    — adds frontend to apps/
  cd  && /create-node-api   — adds backend to apps/

Import shared packages in frontend apps:
  import type { ApiResponse, AuthUser } from '-types'
  import { authApi } from '-api'
  import { Button } from '-ui'

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Rules

• Always run yarn install from the monorepo root, never inside individual apps
• Common deps (React, axios, zod, TanStack Query) belong in ROOT package.json — not duplicated per app
• Internal package versions use "1.0.0" not "*"
• After adding any new dependency, always run root yarn install to update the lockfile
• Commit order: root first → each app one at a time
• Never put app-specific code in packages/ — shared packages are for truly reusable code only
• Mobile apps (Expo) skip packages/ui and packages/theme — those are web-only
• Node.js API apps do NOT get packages/ui or packages/theme links — they can use packages/types for shared interfaces
• All frontend API calls go in packages/api/ — frontend apps never call axios directly
• Add new API domains incrementally: one folder per feature in packages/api/src/
• If no apps selected at creation time, user can run /create-frontend-project or /create-node-api from the monorepo root later — both skills detect the monorepo automatically

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: Global-Software-Consulting
• Source: Global-Software-Consulting/project-scaffolding-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.