Glossary

This glossary provides clear definitions for the terms and concepts used in Epycbyte's products and documentation.

Table of Contents

• Directory
• Repository
• Monorepo
• Multi-repo
• Workspace
• Single-package workspace
• Multi-package workspace
• Package

Directory

A directory, also known as a folder in some operating systems, is a file system structure used to organize and store files. It helps manage files by grouping them into a hierarchical structure of directories and subdirectories. In programming, "directory" is often abbreviated as "dir."

Repository

In version control systems like Git, a repository is a location where files, including source code, are stored and managed. It contains the current version of every file and a history of all changes, which is essential for tracking modifications and collaboration.

Monorepo

A monorepo (monolithic repository) stores multiple packages or modules in a single repository. This approach contrasts with multi-repos, where each package has its own repository. Monorepos facilitate easier code sharing and collaboration across different parts of a codebase.

Multi-repo

A multi-repo (multi-repository) or polyrepo is a version control strategy where each package or module has its own separate repository. This approach stands in contrast to monorepos, which store multiple packages in one repository.

Workspace

In JavaScript, a workspace refers to an entity within a repository that can be a single package or a collection of packages. The root lockfile (e.g., pnpm-lock.yaml) is located at the workspace root. Workspaces are often at the repository's root but not required, as some monorepos may have multiple workspaces in subdirectories.

Single-package workspace

A workspace representing a standalone package with a single package.json file at its root. It does not contain multiple packages.

Multi-package workspace

A workspace containing multiple packages. It has multiple package.json files, including one at the root for global configuration. For pnpm, this is in pnpm-workspace.yaml; npm and Yarn use the "workspaces" key in package.json. This type of workspace is often associated with monorepos.

Package

A package is a collection of files and directories grouped by purpose. Types include libraries, applications, services, and tools. Packages enable modular codebases and are managed through package managers like npm, following semantic versioning.

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