Managing large-scale software projects that involve multiple codebases, submodules, and evolving dependencies can be a daunting challenge. Enterprises often juggle between monorepos and multirepos, striving to maintain code quality, CI/CD integrity, and collaboration across multiple teams. To accommodate these demands, sophisticated multi-repository management tools have emerged, simplifying workflows and enhancing coordination across repositories.
TLDR: Top 7 Multi-Repo Management Tools at a Glance
If you’re working on a large project with complex submodules or interdependent repositories, choosing the right tool is critical. This article outlines seven of the most trusted and widely used tools that help manage monorepos and multirepos seamlessly. From Google’s standout solution to fast-growing open-source projects, each tool brings unique features to ease large-scale repo management. Whether you’re tackling code sharing, syncing submodules, or orchestrating builds, there’s a tool that suits your infrastructure.
1. Google’s Bazel
Bazel is Google’s powerful open-source build and test tool designed to handle massive codebases across multiple languages and platforms. Best known for its speed, hermetic builds, and support for large-scale monorepos, Bazel is a favorite among enterprises with complex architectures.
Key Features:
- Supports multilingual codebases including Java, C++, Python, and Go
- Highly scalable and optimized for monorepos
- Incremental builds and caching for faster development cycles
- Native support for remote execution
Ideal for companies managing massive infrastructure systems, Bazel is especially suitable for engineering teams that demand consistency and speed across thousands of commits.
2. Meta’s Buck
Buck, originally developed by Meta (formerly Facebook), takes after Bazel in many ways but emphasizes on deterministic builds and reproducibility. It works well with both monorepo and multi-repo configurations, particularly when managing Java or Android projects.
Key Features:
- Faster and incremental builds tailored for Android
- Smart dependency analysis system
- Configurable targets for high modular coding practices
- Open-source with a growing contributor community
Buck’s focus on performance and tight integrations with Android development workflows makes it highly appealing to mobile-first teams inside tech giants and startups alike.
3. Pants Build
Pants is another monorepo-centric build system that focuses heavily on Python projects but has been progressively expanding support for other languages. It’s a fast, efficient, and user-friendly alternative to tools like Bazel or Buck for teams who want extensibility and performance tailored to Python-based repos.
Key Features:
- Optimized for Python, with growing support for Go, Java, and Shell
- Plugin system allows custom build logic
- Dependency inference for reduced manual intervention
- Rich CLI tooling and active development
Pants strikes a sweet spot for mid-size engineering teams that want powerful repo management without the steep learning curve of mega-enterprise level tools.
4. Nx by Nrwl
Nx is a build system and monorepo management tool powered by dependency graphs and robust caching capabilities. Tailored for JavaScript/TypeScript ecosystems, Nx provides highly visual dependency tracking and integrates seamlessly with frameworks like Angular, React, and Node.js.
Key Features:
- Great DX (Developer Experience) with clean CLI and IDE support
- Caching, affected builds, and code generation
- Out-of-the-box support for Lerna-style projects
- Visual graphs for dependency insights
Nx is perfect for front-end and full-stack teams who manage multiple applications and libraries across one repo and demand optimal build times and clarity.
5. Git Submodules and Git Subtree
For teams that rely on traditional Git workflows, using Git Submodules or Git Subtree remains a viable approach to deal with multiple repositories. While they lack the sophistication of newer tools, submodules and subtree are still in active use, particularly in scenarios that involve embedding external dependencies or syncing microservices.
Key Features:
- Native Git functionality, no extra overhead
- Easy to embed code from other repos
- Subtree provides better merge tracking than submodules
- Suited for teams familiar with Git internals
While these options are limited in automation capabilities, they are still an important part of the multi-repo toolkit, particularly for small to medium-sized projects or legacy systems.
6. Turborepo
Turborepo is a relatively new but rapidly evolving tool aimed specifically at speeding up JavaScript and TypeScript monorepo development. Backed by Vercel, it’s designed for maximum performance and simplification.
Key Features:
- Targeted at modern web teams using Next.js, React
- Remote build caching and incremental computation
- Zero-config setup with plenty of convention support
- CLI-focused operations ideal for fast-paced teams
Turborepo is gaining popularity fast among startups and modern dev teams that prioritize performance with minimal setup effort.
7. Repo by Google (for Android/Open Source Projects)
Repo was developed by Google specifically to manage the Android operating system’s gigantic codebase, which spans hundreds of Git repositories. While it’s considered low-level by today’s standards, Repo handles multi-repo versioning and code syncing with precision.
Key Features:
- Designed for managing hundreds of Git repositories
- CLI-based tool that handles manifest and branch management
- Used internally by AOSP (Android Open Source Project)
- Ideal for tightly coupled codebase ecosystems
Repo isn’t for everyone but shines in projects that need rigorous control over interconnected repositories, like OS or firmware stacks.
FAQ: Multi-Repo and Monorepo Management Tools
Q1: What is the main difference between monorepo and multirepo management tools?
A: Monorepo management tools are optimized for handling an entire organization’s codebase within a single repository, offering speed and consistency. Multirepo tools, on the other hand, are designed to coordinate changes across distinct projects living in separate repositories.
Q2: Are these tools mutually exclusive, or can they be combined?
A: Some teams actually combine them. For example, they might use Git Submodules with Bazel or manage microservices with Git Subtree and deploy them using Pants. Integration depends on workflows and scale.
Q3: Which tool is best for frontend-heavy projects?
A: Tools like Nx and Turborepo are tailored to frontend-heavy architectures, offering rapid builds, good caching, and tight integration with frameworks like React and Angular.
Q4: What should I consider before choosing a multi-repo management tool?
A: Key factors include your project’s scale, language ecosystem, team experience, CI/CD strategy, and future scaling needs. Not every team needs Bazel—some can thrive with smaller tools like Nx or Git Subtree.
Q5: Is migrating to a monorepo always a good idea?
A: Not necessarily. While monorepos help with cross-project refactoring and unified tooling, they also bring challenges like repo size and build complexity. Evaluate pros and cons before switching.
Choosing the right multi-repo or monorepo tool can streamline development, reduce build and deployment times, and unlock better collaboration across teams. As with any tooling decision, teams should pilot a solution before scaling it across their project landscape.