Nx Workspace Patterns
Production patterns for Nx monorepo management.
Do not use this skill when
- The task is unrelated to nx workspace patterns
- You need a different domain or tool outside this scope
Instructions
- Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
- Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
- Provide actionable steps and verification.
Use this skill when
- Setting up new Nx workspaces
- Configuring project boundaries
- Optimizing CI with affected commands
- Implementing remote caching
- Managing dependencies between projects
- Migrating to Nx
Core Concepts
1. Nx Architecture
workspace/
├── apps/ # Deployable applications
│ ├── web/
│ └── api/
├── libs/ # Shared libraries
│ ├── shared/
│ │ ├── ui/
│ │ └── utils/
│ └── feature/
│ ├── auth/
│ └── dashboard/
├── tools/ # Custom executors/generators
├── nx.json # Nx configuration
└── workspace.json # Project configuration
2. Library Types
| Type | Purpose | Example | |
|---|
| feature | Smart components, business logic | feature-auth | |
| ui | Presentational components | ui-buttons | |
| data-access | API calls, state management | data-access-users | |
| util | Pure functions, helpers | util-formatting | |
| shell | App bootstrapping | shell-web | |
Templates
These examples mix legacy and modern Nx configuration. Pin the workspace Nx/plugin versions and validate against installed schemas; do not copy npmScope/tasksRunnerOptions or generator options across versions blindly. Use environment/secret storage for Nx Cloud tokens, never literal committed accessToken fields. Cache only deterministic tasks with complete input/output declarations; E2E against mutable services can require noncached execution. Affected selection depends on a complete dependency graph and correct base/head: full required suites still apply for policy/shared/unknown changes. Migration commands modify manifests/code and need a clean recoverable topic branch and review.
Template 1: nx.json Configuration
json
{
"$schema": "./node_modules/nx/schemas/nx-schema.json",
"npmScope": "myorg",
"affected": {
"defaultBase": "main"
},
"tasksRunnerOptions": {
"default": {
"runner": "nx/tasks-runners/default",
"options": {
"cacheableOperations": [
"build",
"lint",
"test",
"e2e",
"build-storybook"
],
"parallel": 3
}
}
},
"targetDefaults": {
"build": {
"dependsOn": ["^build"],
"inputs": ["production", "^production"],
"cache": true
},
"test": {
"inputs": ["default", "^production", "{workspaceRoot}/jest.preset.js"],
"cache": true
},
"lint": {
"inputs": ["default", "{workspaceRoot}/.eslintrc.json"],
"cache": true
},
"e2e": {
"inputs": ["default", "^production"],
"cache": true
}
},
"namedInputs": {
"default": ["{projectRoot}/**/*", "sharedGlobals"],
"production": [
"default",
"!{projectRoot}/**/?(*.)+(spec|test).[jt]s?(x)?(.snap)",
"!{projectRoot}/tsconfig.spec.json",
"!{projectRoot}/jest.config.[jt]s",
"!{projectRoot}/.eslintrc.json"
],
"sharedGlobals": [
"{workspaceRoot}/babel.config.json",
"{workspaceRoot}/tsconfig.base.json"
]
},
"generators": {
"@nx/react": {
"application": {
"style": "css",
"linter": "eslint",
"bundler": "webpack"
},
"library": {
"style": "css",
"linter": "eslint"
},
"component": {
"style": "css"
}
}
}
}
Template 2: Project Configuration
json
// apps/web/project.json
{
"name": "web",
"$schema": "../../node_modules/nx/schemas/project-schema.json",
"sourceRoot": "apps/web/src",
"projectType": "application",
"tags": ["type:app", "scope:web"],
"targets": {
"build": {
"executor": "@nx/webpack:webpack",
"outputs": ["{options.outputPath}"],
"defaultConfiguration": "production",
"options": {
"compiler": "babel",
"outputPath": "dist/apps/web",
"index": "apps/web/src/index.html",
"main": "apps/web/src/main.tsx",
"tsConfig": "apps/web/tsconfig.app.json",
"assets": ["apps/web/src/assets"],
"styles": ["apps/web/src/styles.css"]
},
"configurations": {
"development": {
"extractLicenses": false,
"optimization": false,
"sourceMap": true
},
"production": {
"optimization": true,
"outputHashing": "all",
"sourceMap": false,
"extractLicenses": true
}
}
},
"serve": {
"executor": "@nx/webpack:dev-server",
"defaultConfiguration": "development",
"options": {
"buildTarget": "web:build"
},
"configurations": {
"development": {
"buildTarget": "web:build:development"
},
"production": {
"buildTarget": "web:build:production"
}
}
},
"test": {
"executor": "@nx/jest:jest",
"outputs": ["{workspaceRoot}/coverage/{projectRoot}"],
"options": {
"jestConfig": "apps/web/jest.config.ts",
"passWithNoTests": true
}
},
"lint": {
"executor": "@nx/eslint:lint",
"outputs": ["{options.outputFile}"],
"options": {
"lintFilePatterns": ["apps/web/**/*.{ts,tsx,js,jsx}"]
}
}
}
}
Template 3: Module Boundary Rules
json
// .eslintrc.json
{
"root": true,
"ignorePatterns": ["**/*"],
"plugins": ["@nx"],
"overrides": [
{
"files": ["*.ts", "*.tsx", "*.js", "*.jsx"],
"rules": {
"@nx/enforce-module-boundaries": [
"error",
{
"enforceBuildableLibDependency": true,
"allow": [],
"depConstraints": [
{
"sourceTag": "type:app",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": [
"type:feature",
"type:ui",
"type:data-access",
"type:util"
]
},
{
"sourceTag": "type:feature",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": [
"type:ui",
"type:data-access",
"type:util"
]
},
{
"sourceTag": "type:ui",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["type:ui", "type:util"]
},
{
"sourceTag": "type:data-access",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["type:data-access", "type:util"]
},
{
"sourceTag": "type:util",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["type:util"]
},
{
"sourceTag": "scope:web",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["scope:web", "scope:shared"]
},
{
"sourceTag": "scope:api",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["scope:api", "scope:shared"]
},
{
"sourceTag": "scope:shared",
"onlyDependOnLibsWithTags": ["scope:shared"]
}
]
}
]
}
}
]
}
Template 4: Custom Generator
typescript
// tools/generators/feature-lib/index.ts
import {
Tree,
formatFiles,
generateFiles,
joinPathFragments,
names,
readProjectConfiguration,
} from '@nx/devkit';
import { libraryGenerator } from '@nx/react';
interface FeatureLibraryGeneratorSchema {
name: string;
scope: string;
directory?: string;
}
export default async function featureLibraryGenerator(
tree: Tree,
options: FeatureLibraryGeneratorSchema
) {
const { name, scope, directory } = options;
const projectDirectory = directory
? `${directory}/${name}`
: `libs/${scope}/feature-${name}`;
// Generate base library
await libraryGenerator(tree, {
name: `feature-${name}`,
directory: projectDirectory,
tags: `type:feature,scope:${scope}`,
style: 'css',
skipTsConfig: false,
skipFormat: true,
unitTestRunner: 'jest',
linter: 'eslint',
});
// Add custom files
const projectConfig = readProjectConfiguration(tree, `${scope}-feature-${name}`);
const projectNames = names(name);
generateFiles(
tree,
joinPathFragments(__dirname, 'files'),
projectConfig.sourceRoot,
{
...projectNames,
scope,
tmpl: '',
}
);
await formatFiles(tree);
}
Template 5: CI Configuration with Affected
yaml
# .github/workflows/ci.yml
name: CI
on:
push:
branches: [main]
pull_request:
branches: [main]
env:
NX_CLOUD_ACCESS_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NX_CLOUD_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
jobs:
main:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
with:
fetch-depth: 0
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: 20
cache: 'npm'
- name: Install dependencies
run: npm ci
- name: Derive SHAs for affected commands
uses: nrwl/nx-set-shas@v4
- name: Run affected lint
run: npx nx affected -t lint --parallel=3
- name: Run affected test
run: npx nx affected -t test --parallel=3 --configuration=ci
- name: Run affected build
run: npx nx affected -t build --parallel=3
- name: Run affected e2e
run: npx nx affected -t e2e --parallel=1
Template 6: Remote Caching Setup
typescript
// nx.json with Nx Cloud
{
"tasksRunnerOptions": {
"default": {
"runner": "nx-cloud",
"options": {
"cacheableOperations": ["build", "lint", "test", "e2e"],
"accessToken": "your-nx-cloud-token",
"parallel": 3,
"cacheDirectory": ".nx/cache"
}
}
},
"nxCloudAccessToken": "your-nx-cloud-token"
}
// Self-hosted cache with S3
{
"tasksRunnerOptions": {
"default": {
"runner": "@nx-aws-cache/nx-aws-cache",
"options": {
"cacheableOperations": ["build", "lint", "test"],
"awsRegion": "us-east-1",
"awsBucket": "my-nx-cache-bucket",
"awsProfile": "default"
}
}
}
}
Common Commands
bash
# Generate new library
nx g @nx/react:lib feature-auth --directory=libs/web --tags=type:feature,scope:web
# Run affected tests
nx affected -t test --base=main
# View dependency graph
nx graph
# Run specific project
nx build web --configuration=production
# Reset cache
nx reset
# Run migrations
nx migrate latest
nx migrate --run-migrations
Best Practices
Do's
- Use tags consistently - Enforce with module boundaries
- Enable caching early - Significant CI savings
- Keep libs focused - Single responsibility
- Use generators - Ensure consistency
- Document boundaries - Help new developers
Don'ts
- Don't create circular deps - Graph should be acyclic
- Don't skip affected - Test only what changed
- Don't ignore boundaries - Tech debt accumulates
- Don't over-granularize - Balance lib count
Resources
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.