Turborepo
Overview
Build system for JavaScript/TypeScript monorepos. Caches task outputs and runs tasks in parallel based on dependency graph. Always create package tasks (not root tasks), use turbo run in scripts, and let dependsOn manage execution order. Configuration uses turbo.json (or turbo.jsonc for comments).
When to use: Monorepo task orchestration, build caching, CI optimization, workspace dependency management, package boundary enforcement.
When NOT to use: Single-package projects, non-JavaScript monorepos, projects without build steps.
Quick Reference
| Pattern | Syntax | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Schema | "$schema": "https://turborepo.dev/schema.json" | Always include in turbo.json |
| Dependency build | "dependsOn": ["^build"] | Build dependencies first |
| Same-package task | "dependsOn": ["codegen"] | Run in same package first |
| Specific package | "dependsOn": ["pkg#task"] | Named package's task |
| Parallel lint/typecheck | Transit Nodes pattern | Cache invalidation without sequential execution |
| Dev server | "persistent": true, "cache": false | Long-running, non-cacheable |
| Sidecar tasks | "with": ["api#dev"] | Run tasks concurrently alongside |
| Watch mode | turbo watch dev | Re-run on file changes |
| Filter by package | --filter=web | Single package |
| Filter with deps | --filter=web... | Package + dependencies |
| Changed packages | --affected | Changed + dependents |
| Debug cache | --summarize or --dry | See hash inputs |
| Package config | turbo.json with "extends": ["//"] | Per-package overrides |
| Composable config | "extends": ["@repo/config"] | Extend from any workspace package |
| Extend arrays | "$TURBO_EXTENDS$" in arrays | Append to inherited config instead of replacing |
| Env vars in hash | "env": ["API_URL"] | Cache invalidation on change |
| Boundaries | turbo boundaries | Enforce package isolation and import rules |
| Query graph | turbo query | GraphQL interface to package/task graphs |
| Code generation | turbo generate | Scaffold new packages and components |
| List packages | turbo ls | List all packages in monorepo |
| Devtools | turbo devtools | Visual Package Graph and Task Graph explorer |
| Docker pruned workspace | turbo prune <pkg> --docker | Minimal monorepo slice for container builds |
Decision Trees
Configure a Task
Configure a task?
+-- Define task dependencies -> dependsOn in turbo.json
+-- Lint/check-types (parallel) -> Transit Nodes pattern
+-- Specify build outputs -> outputs key
+-- Handle environment variables -> env key or globalEnv
+-- Dev/watch tasks -> persistent: true, cache: false
+-- Sidecar tasks (run alongside) -> with key
+-- Package-specific config -> Package turbo.json with extends: ["//"]
+-- Composable config -> extends from any workspace package
+-- Global settings -> globalEnv, globalDependencies, cacheDir
Cache Problems
Cache problems?
+-- Outputs not restored -> Missing outputs key
+-- Unexpected cache misses -> Use --summarize or --dry to debug
+-- Skip cache entirely -> --force or cache: false
+-- Remote cache not working -> Check turbo login/link
+-- Environment causing misses -> Var not in env key
Filter Packages
Filter packages?
+-- By package name -> --filter=web
+-- By directory -> --filter=./apps/*
+-- Package + dependencies -> --filter=web...
+-- Package + dependents -> --filter=...web
+-- Changed + dependents -> --affected
Explore Repository
Explore repository?
+-- List all packages -> turbo ls
+-- Query dependency graph -> turbo query
+-- Visualize graphs -> turbo devtools
+-- Check boundary violations -> turbo boundaries
+-- Generate new package -> turbo generate workspace
+-- Run custom generator -> turbo generate run [name]
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Pattern |
|---|---|
Putting build logic in root package.json scripts instead of per-package | Define scripts in each package and use turbo run in root to delegate |
Using ^build without declaring workspace:* dependency | Add the dependency in package.json first; ^build only triggers for declared dependencies |
Chaining turbo tasks with && in package scripts | Use dependsOn in turbo.json to declare task ordering |
Not adding environment variables to the env key in turbo.json | Declare all build-affecting env vars in env so cache hashes correctly |
Using --parallel flag to bypass dependency ordering | Configure dependsOn correctly or use transit nodes for parallel tasks with proper cache invalidation |
| Using outdated schema URL | Use https://turborepo.dev/schema.json in $schema field |
| Overriding inherited arrays in package configs | Use $TURBO_EXTENDS$ in arrays to append instead of replace |
Defining tasks in root turbo.json that belong to a specific package | Define tasks inside the package's own turbo.json with extends: ["//"] |
Using turbo <task> shorthand in scripts or CI | Use turbo run <task> in package.json scripts and CI pipelines; shorthand is for interactive use only |
Delegation
- Monorepo structure exploration: Use
Exploreagent to discover packages, workspace layout, and dependency relationships - Pipeline configuration and optimization: Use
Taskagent to set up turbo.json tasks, configure caching, and debug cache misses - Monorepo architecture planning: Use
Planagent to design package boundaries, shared libraries, and CI optimization strategy
If the
pnpm-workspaceskill is available, delegate workspace setup, dependency linking, catalogs, andpnpm deployto it. If thechangesetsskill is available, delegate versioning, changelog generation, and npm publishing to it.