Monorepo Bootstrap

monorepo-bootstrap — scaffold a turborepo monorepo

Contract

See references/contracts.md (vendored from dev-flow). Key facts:

• Reads <project-root>/.workflow/meta.json#stack.framework — must be "monorepo".
• Requires meta.json#phase in {prd_drafted, design_extracted}.
• Reads PROJECT.md, PRD.md, and DESIGN.md from project root (DESIGN.md required for tokens; falls back to defaults if absent).
• Writes the monorepo at project root: apps/{web,mobile}/, packages/{shared,design,api}/, root config files.
• Transitions phase: prd_drafted → monorepo_initialized (root scaffold done) → scaffolded (both apps + packages exist).
• Always idempotent: re-running detects existing files, skips, reports.

When this skill applies

• Orchestrator routes here from dev-flow when stack.framework="monorepo" and phase ∈ {prd_drafted, design_extracted}.
• User says: "scaffolda il monorepo", "create a turborepo", "bootstrap il monorepo".

Knowledge dependencies (read these first)

• rn-fundamentals/SKILL.md — Expo SDK + New Architecture + TS for the mobile side (web+mobile topology only).
• rn-bootstrap/SKILL.md — how the mobile side is scaffolded; this skill invokes it ONLY for the web+mobile topology.
• rn-styling/references/nativewind-setup.md — for the mobile Tailwind config (web+mobile topology only).
• design-md-to-app/SKILL.md — how the web side is scaffolded; this skill invokes it in every topology.
• design-md-to-app/references/<lib>-mapping.md — based on stack.monorepo.web.ui.
• design-md-to-app/references/shadcn-mapping.md → "Monorepo (shared packages/ui)" — the shadcn monorepo layout used for the web-only / web+agent topologies.
• eve-agent/SKILL.md — scaffolds apps/agent/ for the web+agent topology; this skill does NOT build the agent itself, only the surrounding workspace.
• references/decision-tree.md → "The packages/ui rule" — which topology gets packages/design vs packages/ui.
• references/structure.md — full monorepo layout (this file lives in this skill's references).
• references/patterns.md — turborepo conventions, pnpm protocols.

Workflow

Step 1 — Verify preconditions and detect the topology

Read .workflow/meta.json. Abort with clear message if:

• stack.framework != "monorepo" → "Wrong stack. For mobile-only use rn-bootstrap; for web-only with no monorepo tooling use design-md-to-app directly."
• phase ∉ {prd_drafted, design_extracted, monorepo_initialized} → "Expected phase prd_drafted/design_extracted/monorepo_initialized, got X."
• stack.monorepo.web.framework missing → ask user (default: "next").
• stack.monorepo.web.ui missing → ask user (default: "shadcn").

Detect or ask the topology — every later step branches on this, most importantly Step 5:

1. If stack.monorepo.mobile is already populated in meta.json → topology = "web-mobile".
2. Else if stack.agent == "eve", or the user has said they want an agent engine and no mobile app → topology = "web-agent".
3. Else if the user has explicitly said there is no mobile app and no agent (monorepo wanted only for shared-package tooling, future multi-web-app plans, etc.) → topology = "web-only".
4. Else ask the user directly: "Is this monorepo web + mobile, web + an eve agent, or web-only?" Do not default to web+mobile — v1 of this skill assumed it silently, which is exactly the bug this step fixes.

Write the answer to meta.json#stack.monorepo.topology ("web-mobile" | "web-agent" | "web-only") so Step 5 (and any later re-run) doesn't have to re-derive it.

For topology "web-mobile" only, also resolve:

• stack.monorepo.mobile.framework missing → set to "expo-rn" (only valid value for v1).
• stack.monorepo.mobile.ui → set to "nativewind" (only valid value).

For "web-agent" / "web-only", do NOT create a stack.monorepo.mobile key at all — its mere presence is what Step 5 uses as the mobile signal in idempotent re-runs.

If apps/ + packages/ + pnpm-workspace.yaml already exist at project root: print "Already initialized at phase X, skipping root scaffold" and proceed to Step 4.

Step 2 — Scaffold the root

Run scripts/init-monorepo.sh <project-root> <project-slug>:

• Writes pnpm-workspace.yaml listing apps/* and packages/*.
  • ⚠️ On pnpm 11, add a minimumReleaseAgeExclude list for any dependency you track at head. minimumReleaseAge refuses to install a version published less than N minutes ago — the window in which a compromised release is normally caught — and its default became 1440 (one day) in pnpm v11, from 0 before. Nothing errors: pnpm add <pkg>@latest simply resolves to yesterday's version. Exempt fast-moving packages by name (eve, ai, "@ai-sdk/*", "@vercel/*"), never by lowering the setting globally — the delay is worth keeping for the transitive dependencies nobody chose. Patterns need pnpm ≥ 10.17. Ref: https://pnpm.io/settings/dependency-resolution#minimumreleaseage.
• Writes turbo.json with the pipeline definition (build/dev/lint/test/typecheck).
• Writes root package.json with name @<project-slug>/root, scripts that proxy to turbo.
• Writes packages/typescript-config/ with base.json (path aliases, strict mode), nextjs.json, react-native.json preset extensions. Also writes packages/eslint-config/. No tsconfig.base.json in repo root — Turborepo official pattern.
• Creates empty dirs: apps/web/, apps/mobile/, packages/shared/, packages/design/, packages/api/.

Update meta.json:

• stack_config.monorepo_tool = "turborepo"
• stack_config.workspace_pm = "pnpm"
• stack_config.shared_packages = [] (filled by Step 6)
• phase = "monorepo_initialized"

Step 3 — Scaffold the shared design/UI package from DESIGN.md

Branch by topology (see Step 1 → stack.monorepo.topology, and references/decision-tree.md → "The packages/ui rule"):

Topology "web-mobile" → packages/design/ (tokens + Tailwind flavors, no components — components can't cross the React-DOM/React-Native boundary):

• src/tokens.ts — parses .workflow/DESIGN.md json tokens block, emits typed JS object.
• theme.css — an @theme block built from the tokens. This is how the web app (Tailwind v4, which create-next-app@16 --tailwind installs) consumes the tokens: apps/web/app/globals.css does @import "@<slug>/design/theme.css";. Tailwind v4 is CSS-first and has no JS presets mechanism.
• src/tailwind-preset.ts — a v3-style JS preset, exported only as a fallback for a web app still on Tailwind v3 (scaffold-web.sh --patch auto-detects: tailwind.config.* present → patch this preset; absent → v4 @import path above).
• src/nativewind-preset.ts — exports a NativeWind preset (Tailwind 3.4 syntax) for mobile (NativeWind still tracks the v3 config shape).
• package.json with name @<project-slug>/design, exports ./tokens, ./theme.css, ./tailwind (v3 fallback), ./nativewind.
• tsconfig.json extending @<slug>/typescript-config/<preset>.json (e.g., nextjs.json for apps/web, react-native.json for apps/mobile).

This package is published as workspace:* to both apps.

Topology "web-agent" or "web-only" → packages/ui/ instead, following shadcn's official monorepo layout (@workspace/ui), NOT packages/design/. Defer the actual scaffold to design-md-to-app's shadcn init --monorepo flow in Step 4 (design-md-to-app/references/shadcn-mapping.md → "Monorepo (shared packages/ui)"); this step just reserves the empty packages/ui/ slot so Step 6/7 don't collide with it. packages/design/ does not exist in this topology — the tokens live in packages/ui/src/styles/globals.css.

Step 4 — Scaffold apps/web/ via design-md-to-app

Invoke design-md-to-app with:

• cwd = <project-root>/apps/web/
• DESIGN.md path = <project-root>/.workflow/DESIGN.md
• stack.ui = meta.json#stack.monorepo.web.ui (e.g. "shadcn")
• Special instruction, topology "web-mobile": in the generated tailwind.config.js, the presets array MUST include require("@<project-slug>/design/tailwind") — this is how the design tokens reach the web app.
• Special instruction, topology "web-agent" / "web-only": tell design-md-to-app to use its shadcn monorepo mode (shadcn init --monorepo) targeting the packages/ui/ slot reserved in Step 3, instead of the single-app components/ui/ layout.
• Skip the /showcase route's auto-creation if user already wants minimalist setup; otherwise let design-md-to-app create it as normal.

Update meta.json#stack.monorepo.web with any user choices recorded by design-md-to-app.

Step 5 — Scaffold apps/mobile/ via rn-bootstrap (topology "web-mobile" only)

Check meta.json#stack.monorepo.topology first. If it is "web-agent" or "web-only" (or stack.monorepo.mobile is simply absent), skip this step entirely — do not create apps/mobile/, do not invoke rn-bootstrap, and do not generate a NativeWind preset (there is no packages/design/ in these topologies — see Step 3). Proceed straight to Step 6.

For topology "web-agent" specifically: apps/agent/ is scaffolded by invoking eve-agent in Scaffold mode instead, once the workspace root exists — that skill owns everything under apps/agent/; this skill's job stops at making sure pnpm-workspace.yaml / turbo.json already cover apps/* so eve-agent slots in without extra wiring.

Otherwise (topology "web-mobile"), invoke rn-bootstrap with:

• cwd = <project-root>/apps/mobile/
• DESIGN.md path = <project-root>/.workflow/DESIGN.md
• Special instruction: the generated tailwind.config.js MUST include presets: [require("@<project-slug>/design/nativewind")] so the design tokens reach the mobile app.

Update meta.json#stack.monorepo.mobile with any choices.

Step 6 — Scaffold packages/shared/ skeleton

Create minimal scaffold:

• src/index.ts — barrel export.
• src/types/.gitkeep, src/validators/.gitkeep, src/utils/.gitkeep.
• package.json with name @<project-slug>/shared, main ./src/index.ts.
• tsconfig.json extending base.

Update meta.json#stack_config.shared_packages: ["@<project-slug>/shared", "@<project-slug>/design", "@<project-slug>/api"] for topology "web-mobile", or ["@<project-slug>/shared", "@<project-slug>/ui", "@<project-slug>/api"] for "web-agent" / "web-only" (see Step 3).

Step 7 — Scaffold packages/api/ skeleton

Create minimal scaffold (a wrapper that will be filled by module-add later):

• src/index.ts — barrel.
• src/client.ts — placeholder for the backend client (Supabase / tRPC, decided when auth module is added).
• package.json with name @<project-slug>/api.
• tsconfig.json extending base.

Don't install the actual backend client here — that's module-add / rn-module-add's job. Just the skeleton.

Step 8 — Install dependencies + verify

Run from project root:

pnpm install --recursive

Then verify:

• pnpm tsc --noEmit from apps/web/, from apps/mobile/ (topology "web-mobile" only), and each packages/*/ succeeds.
• pnpm turbo dev --dry-run lists every workspace that exists for the chosen topology (5 for "web-mobile": web, mobile, and the 3 packages; 4 for "web-agent"/"web-only": web, and the 3 packages — apps/agent/ joins later once eve-agent scaffolds it).

If any verify fails, do NOT bump phase. Report and stop.

Step 9 — Update meta.json + commit

{
  "stack": { "framework": "monorepo", "monorepo": { "topology": "web-mobile", "web": {...}, "mobile": {...} }, ... },
  "stack_config": {
    "monorepo_tool": "turborepo",
    "workspace_pm": "pnpm",
    "shared_packages": ["@<project-slug>/shared", "@<project-slug>/design", "@<project-slug>/api"]
  },
  "phase": "scaffolded",
  "history": [..., {"skill": "monorepo-bootstrap", "ran_at": "<iso>", "outputs": [...]}]
}

For topology "web-agent" / "web-only", stack.monorepo has no mobile key and shared_packages lists @<project-slug>/ui instead of @<project-slug>/design (see Step 3/Step 6).

If git repo: commit with chore: scaffold monorepo (web + mobile + shared packages) for "web-mobile", or chore: scaffold monorepo (web + shared packages, <topology> topology) otherwise.

Common anti-patterns (NEVER do)

• ❌ Try to use yarn or npm workspaces instead of pnpm — turborepo + Expo officially support pnpm best.
• ❌ Generate Tailwind config in apps/web/ without the @<project-slug>/design/tailwind preset (topology "web-mobile") — design tokens won't reach the web app.
• ❌ Generate tailwind.config.js in apps/mobile/ without the nativewind preset — same problem mirrored.
• ❌ Install backend client (supabase-js, tRPC) at root — must live in packages/api/, consumed via workspace protocol.
• ❌ Add tsconfig.base.json in repo root — Turborepo recommends per-package configs that extend a shared package (packages/typescript-config). Don't centralize in root.
• ❌ Use framework="monorepo" on a project that already has scaffolded code (mid-project switch) — this skill is for fresh projects only.
• ❌ Assume the topology is always "web-mobile" and blindly invoke rn-bootstrap — Step 1 must detect/ask the topology first; Step 5 skips rn-bootstrap entirely for "web-agent" / "web-only". This was v1's bug: it always scaffolded apps/mobile/ even for mobile-less projects.
• ❌ Create both packages/design/ AND packages/ui/ in the same project — they are mutually exclusive per topology (Step 3).

Updating meta.json (recommended pattern)

When this skill modifies state (artifact written, phase advanced, history appended), use the canonical script when available:

# Wherever dev-flow is installed (e.g. ~/.claude/skills/dev-flow/), invoke:
python3 .../dev-flow/scripts/update_meta.py <project-root> record-artifact \
    --path <relative-path> --produced-by 'monorepo-bootstrap' [--derived-from <p1> <p2> ...]
python3 .../dev-flow/scripts/update_meta.py <project-root> set-phase <new_phase>
python3 .../dev-flow/scripts/update_meta.py <project-root> append-history \
    --skill 'monorepo-bootstrap' --inputs '{...}' --outputs '{...}' --phase-after <new_phase>

The script enforces phase monotonicity, normalizes legacy kebab-case aliases (e.g. module-added → module_added), and writes the canonical sha256 + timestamp into meta.json#artifacts. Fall back to direct JSON editing only if the script is not on PATH (and warn the user).

Sources

• Spec: docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-29-monorepo-set-design.md
• Official: https://turborepo.dev/docs
• Official: https://pnpm.io/workspaces
• Official: https://docs.expo.dev/guides/monorepos/
• Course: codewithbeto.dev/rnCourse — (no direct monorepo coverage; assembled from official sources).