Turborepo - Quick Reference

Deep Knowledge: Use mcp__documentation__fetch_docs with technology: turborepo for comprehensive documentation.

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Nx monorepos - Use nx skill for Nx-specific features
• Single package projects - No need for monorepo tools
• Need advanced generators - Nx has better code generation
• Complex module boundaries - Nx enforces them better

When to Use This Skill

• Monorepo with multiple packages
• Build caching and optimization
• CI/CD for monorepos
• Complex task orchestration

Setup

# New monorepo
npx create-turbo@latest my-monorepo

# Add to existing monorepo
npm install turbo --save-dev

Project Structure

my-monorepo/
├── turbo.json
├── package.json
├── apps/
│   ├── web/
│   │   └── package.json
│   └── api/
│       └── package.json
└── packages/
    ├── ui/
    │   └── package.json
    ├── config/
    │   └── package.json
    └── utils/
        └── package.json

Configuration (turbo.json)

{
  "$schema": "https://turbo.build/schema.json",
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "dependsOn": ["^build"],
      "outputs": ["dist/**", ".next/**", "build/**"]
    },
    "dev": {
      "cache": false,
      "persistent": true
    },
    "lint": {
      "dependsOn": ["^build"]
    },
    "test": {
      "dependsOn": ["build"],
      "outputs": ["coverage/**"]
    },
    "typecheck": {
      "dependsOn": ["^build"]
    }
  }
}

Task Configuration

{
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      // Run dependencies' build first
      "dependsOn": ["^build"],

      // Files that affect cache
      "inputs": [
        "src/**",
        "package.json",
        "tsconfig.json"
      ],

      // Outputs to cache
      "outputs": ["dist/**"],

      // Environment variables that affect cache
      "env": ["NODE_ENV", "API_URL"],

      // Pass-through env vars (not cached)
      "passThroughEnv": ["CI", "GITHUB_TOKEN"]
    },

    "dev": {
      // Don't cache dev tasks
      "cache": false,

      // Keep running (watch mode)
      "persistent": true
    },

    "deploy": {
      // Run after build
      "dependsOn": ["build"],

      // No outputs
      "outputs": []
    }
  }
}

Running Tasks

# Run task in all packages
turbo build
turbo lint
turbo test

# Run in specific package
turbo build --filter=@myorg/web
turbo build --filter=web

# Run in multiple packages
turbo build --filter=@myorg/web --filter=@myorg/api

# Run with dependencies
turbo build --filter=@myorg/web...     # web + its dependencies
turbo build --filter=...@myorg/ui      # ui + its dependents

# Since git ref
turbo build --filter=[HEAD^1]          # Changed since last commit
turbo build --filter=[origin/main]     # Changed since main

# Parallel execution
turbo dev

# Dry run
turbo build --dry-run
turbo build --graph  # Output dependency graph

Package Configuration

// apps/web/package.json
{
  "name": "@myorg/web",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "next build",
    "dev": "next dev",
    "lint": "eslint .",
    "test": "vitest run"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@myorg/ui": "*",
    "@myorg/utils": "*"
  }
}

// packages/ui/package.json
{
  "name": "@myorg/ui",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsup src/index.ts --dts",
    "dev": "tsup src/index.ts --watch",
    "lint": "eslint ."
  }
}

Root package.json

{
  "name": "my-monorepo",
  "private": true,
  "workspaces": ["apps/*", "packages/*"],
  "scripts": {
    "build": "turbo build",
    "dev": "turbo dev",
    "lint": "turbo lint",
    "test": "turbo test",
    "typecheck": "turbo typecheck",
    "clean": "turbo clean && rm -rf node_modules"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "turbo": "^2.0.0"
  }
}

Caching

Local Cache

# Cache stored in node_modules/.cache/turbo

# Force fresh build
turbo build --force

# View cache status
turbo build --summarize

Remote Cache (Vercel)

# Login to Vercel
turbo login

# Link to remote cache
turbo link

# Now builds use remote cache
turbo build

Self-hosted Remote Cache

// turbo.json
{
  "remoteCache": {
    "enabled": true,
    "signature": true
  }
}

# Use custom remote cache
TURBO_API="https://your-cache-server.com" \
TURBO_TOKEN="your-token" \
TURBO_TEAM="your-team" \
turbo build

Environment Variables

// turbo.json
{
  "globalEnv": ["CI", "NODE_ENV"],
  "globalPassThroughEnv": ["GITHUB_TOKEN"],
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "env": ["API_URL", "DATABASE_URL"],
      "passThroughEnv": ["VERCEL_URL"]
    }
  }
}

.env Files

// turbo.json
{
  "globalDotEnv": [".env"],
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "dotEnv": [".env.production", ".env.local"]
    }
  }
}

CI/CD

GitHub Actions

name: CI

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          fetch-depth: 2  # Needed for --filter=[HEAD^1]

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install
        run: npm ci

      - name: Build
        run: npx turbo build --filter=[HEAD^1]

      - name: Test
        run: npx turbo test --filter=[HEAD^1]

      - name: Lint
        run: npx turbo lint --filter=[HEAD^1]

With Remote Cache

- name: Build
  run: npx turbo build
  env:
    TURBO_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.TURBO_TOKEN }}
    TURBO_TEAM: ${{ vars.TURBO_TEAM }}

Package-specific Config

// apps/web/turbo.json
{
  "extends": ["//"],
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "outputs": [".next/**", "!.next/cache/**"]
    }
  }
}

Generators

# Create generator
turbo gen init

# Run generator
turbo gen workspace

// turbo/generators/config.ts
import { PlopTypes } from "@turbo/gen";

export default function generator(plop: PlopTypes.NodePlopAPI): void {
  plop.setGenerator("package", {
    description: "Create a new package",
    prompts: [
      {
        type: "input",
        name: "name",
        message: "Package name?",
      },
    ],
    actions: [
      {
        type: "add",
        path: "packages/{{name}}/package.json",
        templateFile: "templates/package.json.hbs",
      },
    ],
  });
}

Task Dependencies

{
  "tasks": {
    // topological: run in dependencies first
    "build": {
      "dependsOn": ["^build"]
    },

    // same package: run after
    "test": {
      "dependsOn": ["build"]
    },

    // specific package
    "deploy": {
      "dependsOn": ["@myorg/web#build", "@myorg/api#build"]
    },

    // no dependencies
    "lint": {
      "dependsOn": []
    }
  }
}

Debugging

# Verbose output
turbo build --verbosity=2

# Dry run
turbo build --dry-run=json

# Graph visualization
turbo build --graph=graph.html

# Summarize
turbo build --summarize

# Profile
turbo build --profile=profile.json

Comparison: Turborepo vs Nx

When to Use

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

• Do not forget --filter for incremental builds
• Do not cache tasks with side effects
• Do not ignore outputs configuration
• Do not use * in workspace dependencies (use workspace protocol)

Anti-Patterns

Quick Troubleshooting

Checklist

• turbo.json with task definitions
• ^build for topological dependencies
• outputs configured for caching
• env vars declared
• Remote cache for CI
• --filter for incremental builds

Further Reading

For advanced configurations: mcp__documentation__fetch_docs

• Technology: turborepo
• Turborepo Docs