Lerna vs Turborepo
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A build and publish tool for managing several JavaScript/TypeScript packages in one repository.
Open source · MIT
A build system that speeds up JavaScript and TypeScript monorepos, written in Rust.
The short answer
Choose Lerna if you need…
- JavaScript or TypeScript teams maintaining several related npm packages in one repository
- Maintainers who need to version and publish multiple packages together
- Developers who already work in a monorepo layout and want tooling for it
Choose Turborepo if you need…
- Teams maintaining a JavaScript or TypeScript monorepo with several apps or packages
- Developers who want a build tool that is more focused on speed in a monorepo setup
- Projects already using the npm package named turbo
Side-by-side
| Lerna | Turborepo | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Dev tool | Dev tool |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 36k | 31.3k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | Rust |
| Last code update | 6 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Lerna
Lerna is a command-line tool for projects that keep multiple JavaScript or TypeScript packages in a single repository, called a monorepo. It helps build those packages and publish them to npm. The README describes it as a fast, modern build system, but it also notes that the project changed stewardship to Nx, so the README points readers to Nx resources for ongoing support.
Turborepo
Turborepo is a build tool for projects that keep several JavaScript or TypeScript packages in one repository, called a monorepo. It runs build, test and lint tasks across those packages and aims to make repeated builds faster. The core is written in Rust, and the project is published under the MIT license by Vercel.
Best for
Lerna
- JavaScript or TypeScript teams maintaining several related npm packages in one repository
- Maintainers who need to version and publish multiple packages together
- Developers who already work in a monorepo layout and want tooling for it
Turborepo
- Teams maintaining a JavaScript or TypeScript monorepo with several apps or packages
- Developers who want a build tool that is more focused on speed in a monorepo setup
- Projects already using the npm package named turbo
Strengths
Lerna
- Widely starred and used, with an MIT license that permits commercial use
- Covers both building and publishing packages in a monorepo
- Documentation site and getting-started guide are linked from the README
Turborepo
- Has a large user base, with about 31,000 GitHub stars at the time of this snapshot
- Released under the permissive MIT license
- Backed by an active project with recent releases and a public discussion forum
Not ideal for
Lerna
- Single-package projects, since the tool is built for managing multiple packages (reason: little benefit without a monorepo)
- Teams that need guaranteed current direction for the project, since the README says stewardship moved to Nx (reason: check the linked Nx announcement before adopting)
- Users looking for a non-JavaScript build tool (reason: the README covers only JavaScript/TypeScript packages)
Turborepo
- Single-package projects, where the monorepo features add little value
- Non-JavaScript projects, since the description targets JavaScript and TypeScript
- People who need a fully documented install guide here, since the README only links to the website
Trade-offs
Lerna
- The README states stewardship changed to Nx, so long-term direction may differ from the original project
- The README is truncated and gives limited detail on specific commands or configuration
- Its scope is narrow: it targets monorepos of JavaScript and TypeScript packages only
Turborepo
- The README is brief and points to the website for setup details, so this entry relies on limited information
- Its focus on JavaScript and TypeScript limits its use for other languages
- Being tied to a company-backed project means its direction depends on Vercel's priorities
Getting started
Lerna
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/lerna/lernaTurborepo
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/vercel/turborepoFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Lerna and Turborepo?
Lerna: A build and publish tool for managing several JavaScript/TypeScript packages in one repository. Turborepo: A build system that speeds up JavaScript and TypeScript monorepos, written in Rust. Lerna suits javascript or typescript teams maintaining several related npm packages in one repository, while Turborepo suits teams maintaining a javascript or typescript monorepo with several apps or packages.
Are Lerna and Turborepo free?
Lerna: Free and open source. Turborepo: Free and open source.
Is Lerna or Turborepo more popular?
Lerna has more GitHub stars (36k) than Turborepo (31.3k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Lerna and Turborepo?
Other options people compare them with include Nx.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.