Polyrepo

Polyrepo, short for poly-repository, is a software development pattern in which code bases are distributed across multiple repositories rather than a single monolithic repository. In this model, each component, service, library, or product has its own repository, enabling separate lifecycles, access controls, and release processes. Teams can own and evolve their repos independently, while coordination is needed for cross-cutting changes.

Compared with monorepo, polyrepo emphasizes autonomy and scalable governance across many teams. It relies on conventional version control systems (such as Git) and package managers or submodules to manage dependencies. Cross-repo workflows—such as synchronized changes and release notes—often rely on automated tooling.

Advantages include clearer ownership and autonomy for teams, easier access control, smaller cloning footprints, and the ability to adopt different technologies per component. It can also align with organizations that have a large product surface or regulatory requirements that justify isolation.

Disadvantages include the complexity of coordinating changes across repositories, the need for robust dependency management, consistency of coding standards, and the overhead of multiple CI pipelines and release processes. Discoverability and cross-team visibility can be lower than in a monorepo.

Common use cases include microservices architectures, enterprise environments with many products, and organizations scaling engineering teams across multiple products. Best practices emphasize standardized development guidelines, centralized governance for shared libraries, automated dependency updates, and tooling to surface cross-repo impact.

Examples of tools and approaches used with polyrepo include Git hosting platforms, package managers, and automation for cross-repo changes; practices include clear ownership, semantic versioning, and regular coordination rituals to ensure compatibility across components.