Lerna vs Yarn Workspaces

If you’ve been in the software development world for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard of Lerna and Yarn Workspaces.

These tools have become increasingly popular in JavaScript development as they provide developers with a streamlined way to manage monorepos—a codebase that contains multiple packages or projects.

But what exactly are these tools, and how do they differ from each other? This article will dive into the differences between Lerna and Yarn Workspaces to help you decide which one is best for your project.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Monorepos

Before diving into the specifics of Lerna and Yarn Workspaces, it’s important to understand what monorepos are and why they’ve become popular in recent years.

Traditionally, software projects were managed using a single repository for each project. However, as projects grow larger and more complex, managing multiple repositories becomes increasingly difficult.

A mono repo (mono meaning single and repo meaning repository) is a single source of truth for all the code, assets, documentation, etc., necessary to run multiple projects.

Monorepo Benefits

What exactly are the benefits of using a single repository for multiple projects?

Here are some of the key advantages:

Unified Versioning: Everything’s on the same version, eliminating mismatched libraries. Forget cascading dependencies and version updates. This straightforward approach reduces integration hassles, making development smoother.
Code Sharing: Shared utilities are accessible to all projects, eliminating package management juggling. This boosts innovation and reduces repetitive coding.
Atomic Changes: Update multiple projects with a single commit for coordinated changes across modules, ensuring consistency and integrity in complex systems.
Centralized Dependencies: All dependencies are managed in one place, simplifying management and reducing conflict risks. Projects use the same third-party versions, minimizing compatibility issues and streamlining updates.
Collaboration: Fosters a cohesive developer experience and better teamwork, boosting productivity and integrated problem-solving.

Lerna Definition

Lerna is a go-to tool written in JavaScript, perfect for handling multi-package repositories in Node.js projects using npm and Git.

It is designed to help manage monorepos that contain multiple npm packages. Lerna focuses on providing tools for versioning, publishing, and managing dependencies between these packages.

With Lerna, you can create a new project or convert an existing one into a monorepo structure. It also supports workspaces, which allows you to use npm’s linking feature to link packages together during development.

Learn how to initialize Lerna in our blog: What is Lerna?

Yarn Workspaces Definition

Yarn Workspaces is a feature of the Yarn package manager that was introduced in 2017. Similar to Lerna, it allows developers to manage multiple packages within a single repository.

But here’s the thing: unlike Lerna, which needs some extra configuration, Yarn Workspaces is ready to go with monorepos right out of the box.

It even includes handy tools for managing dependencies between packages and supports workspaces for local development.

If you want to learn more about how to set up workspaces with Yarn, read Yarn install instructions here.

Key Differences Between Lerna and Yarn Workspaces

Though Lerna and Yarn Workspaces aim to do the same thing, there are some key differences between them.

Below are some of the main differences between the two:

1. Use Case

Lerna is ideal for handling large monorepos with interdependent packages. It offers features for versioning and publishing these packages, simplifying the management of multiple JavaScript projects in one Git repo. It includes commands to publish packages, manage versions, and handle dependencies between projects.

On the flip side, Yarn workspace improves package management by speeding up and making dependency installation more reliable. Yarn Workspaces is ideal for smaller, simpler monorepos, focusing on ease and simplicity in managing package dependencies.

2. Flexibility

Lerna offers more flexibility in terms of customization and configuration, making it a better choice for more complex monorepos. It allows you to manage workspaces and packages across multiple Git repositories, whereas Yarn Workspaces only supports a single repository.

3. Managing Monorepos

Lerna is great when you’re dealing with monorepos, letting you keep all your related packages in one place. In versioning and making changes across local packages, it can help you manage the changes more easily.

On the other hand, Yarn is versatile. You can use it whether you’re working with a monorepo or just a single-package project.

4. Dependency Management

Lerna takes a flat approach to managing dependencies, hoisting them to the root of the monorepo so they can be shared among all the packages. This cuts down on duplicate dependencies and saves disk space.

Yarn, however, goes for a nested approach, where each package keeps track of its own dependencies. This means packages stay isolated, but they can use up more disk space.

5. Lockfile Handling

Lerna creates one lockfile for the whole monorepo, which means all packages resolve dependencies the same way. This makes it easier to keep everything consistent.

Meanwhile, Yarn goes for separate lockfiles for each package, giving you more control and the ability to update things in smaller steps. This can be helpful when working in a complex monorepo with many interdependent packages.

6. Help from Community

Lerna specializes in monorepo workflows and is a popular choice in the JavaScript community for managing complex projects. It boasts an active community and comprehensive documentation to assist its users. With a longer history, Lerna has an established community of active contributors and receives regular updates.

On the other hand, Yarn Workspaces is a newer option that’s quickly gaining popularity. As a package manager, Yarn supports various project structures and enjoys a broad user base, along with robust community backing and extensive documentation.

7. Integration with npm

Finally, Lerna works smoothly with npm, using the existing npm registry for package publishing and sharing. This makes it super easy for developers to pick up Lerna without disrupting their usual workflows.

Yarn Workspaces, however, is a package manager itself and doesn’t gel as well with npm. This can be a bit of a hassle for teams that want to use both tools together. Yarn has its own registry, offering cool perks like faster package downloads. But this might mean extra setup and tweaks for those used to npm workflows.

Conclusion

Monorepos are becoming increasingly popular for managing complex projects and streamlining development workflows. Lerna and Yarn Workspaces are two widely used tools that can help developers achieve this, but they approach the task differently.

Lerna is ideal for managing large monorepos with interdependent packages, while Yarn Workspaces is better suited for smaller, simpler monorepos.

Ultimately, the choice between Lerna and Yarn Workspaces depends on the specific needs and preferences of your development team.

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At Startechup, we have a team of experienced Java developers who are well-versed in using tools like Lerna and Yarn Workspaces. Our team can help you set up and manage your monorepo efficiently, allowing for better collaboration and productivity within your development team.

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