Monolithic Repository
A monolithic repository, often called a monorepo, is a software development strategy where code for multiple projects or components is stored in a single version-controlled repository. This approach centralizes all source code, dependencies, and configuration files, enabling unified versioning, dependency management, and collaboration across teams. It contrasts with polyrepos, where each project or service has its own separate repository.
Developers should use a monolithic repository when working on large-scale projects with tightly coupled components, such as in monolithic applications or microservices architectures that require shared libraries and consistent tooling. It is particularly beneficial for organizations like Google or Facebook that need to enforce code standards, streamline cross-project refactoring, and simplify dependency management across many teams. This approach reduces integration complexity and facilitates code reuse, but requires robust tooling to handle scalability and access control.