Motivation: The Beginning of the Journey
Every time I embarked on a new side project, I found myself entangled in the tedious process of setting up the basics. Configuring the component library, setting up linting rules, integrating a styling library like TailwindCSS, and establishing a unit testing setup—these tasks were repetitive and cumbersome. The challenge multiplied when building enterprise-level monorepo applications, where laying down a solid foundation consumed a significant chunk of time.
I knew there had to be a better way. This realization sparked my journey to create an open source React monorepo starter template that could automate much of the setup and ongoing maintenance, allowing me to focus on what truly mattered—building great features.
The Idea Takes Shape
The vision was clear: I needed a template that could keep itself updated with minimal intervention and leverage the best tools available in the React ecosystem. The goal was to make the initial setup as smooth as possible and ensure that maintenance would not become a burden.
Choosing the Right Tools
The first step was selecting the right tools. I wanted to incorporate modern, efficient, and well-supported tools that would streamline development and maintenance.
Bun - Package Manager: I chose Bun for its speed and efficiency. As a package manager, it handles dependencies and scripts remarkably fast, which is crucial for a monorepo setup.
Vite - Bundler: For bundling, Vite stood out due to its lightning-fast performance and instant feedback during development. It drastically reduced the time I spent waiting for builds, making the development process more enjoyable.
Biome - Linter and Formatter: Ensuring code quality is non-negotiable. Biome integrates both linting and formatting, maintaining code consistency across the project with ease.
Bun Workspace - Monorepo Management: Managing multiple packages within a single repository required a robust solution. Bun workspace provided an efficient and unified way to handle monorepo management.
Renovate - Dependency Updater: One of my main goals was to reduce manual maintenance. Renovate automates dependency updates, ensuring my project remains current without constant manual intervention.
Kodiakhq - PR Manager: To manage pull requests efficiently, Kodiakhq came into play. It streamlined the process of integrating changes and updates, further reducing the workload.
Bringing It All Together
With the tools selected, it was time to bring everything together into a cohesive template. The process involved a lot of trial and error, tweaking configurations, and ensuring compatibility between tools. The end result was a template that not only simplified the initial setup but also maintained itself over time.
The Journey in Action
Cloning the Repository: The first step was to clone the repository from GitHub. This template was now accessible to anyone looking to streamline their React monorepo projects.
git clone https://github.com/parthikrb/bun-monorepo-starter-template.git
Installing Dependencies: With Bun as the package manager, installing dependencies was swift and efficient.
cd bun-monorepo-starter-template
bun install
Running the Development Server: Using Vite, the development server was up and running in no time, providing instant feedback and a smooth development experience.
bun run dev
Exploring the Project Structure: The modular and scalable project structure made it easy to navigate and understand, setting the stage for efficient development.
The Road Ahead: Future Enhancements
While the template has come a long way, there's still more to do to make it even better. Here are some of the enhancements planned for the pipeline:
Creating a Comprehensive README: A well-documented README is essential for any open source project. The plan is to create a detailed README that guides users through the setup process, explains the project structure, and provides examples of how to use the template effectively.
Leveraging Vitest Workspace for Unit Tests: Testing is a critical part of any development process. Integrating Vitest, a fast and efficient test runner, into the workspace will provide robust unit testing capabilities, ensuring code reliability and quality.
Creating Sample Best-in-Class CI Pipelines: Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines are vital for maintaining code quality and facilitating smooth deployments. Developing sample CI pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions will showcase best practices and help users set up their own efficient CI/CD workflows.
Reflecting on the Journey
Creating this React monorepo starter template has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It not only simplified my development process but also had the potential to help other developers facing the same challenges. By automating repetitive tasks and leveraging modern tools, I was able to focus more on innovation and less on setup.
Thank you for following along on my journey. I hope this template helps you as much as it has helped me. Happy coding!
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