multirepository

Multirepository, or polyrepo, is an architectural approach in which a software project is divided into multiple independent version control repositories rather than a single monolithic repository. Each repository typically holds a distinct bounded context such as a service, a library, or a component, and may reflect organizational boundaries or ownership.

Benefits of a multirepository setup include clearer ownership and access control, smaller and more focused repositories, independent release cycles for components, and targeted build and test pipelines. Teams can work autonomously on their own repositories without requiring changes in a central codebase, which can simplify governance and security reviews. This approach is common in organizations with many services or language ecosystems, or where teams are geographically dispersed.

Challenges commonly associated with multirepository architectures include managing cross-repository dependencies and coordinating changes that span multiple components. Build, test, and release processes become more complex when changes touch several repositories, and there is a risk of dependency drift or inconsistent tooling and policies across repos. Reusing code across repositories may require additional mechanisms such as package registries or code-sharing strategies, and overhead can grow for code search, code reviews, and contributor onboarding.

Patterns and practices to mitigate these challenges include defining clear ownership and contribution guidelines, using standardized build and CI pipelines, and employing dependency management strategies such as separate package repositories or library registries. Tools like git submodules, git subtrees, or language-specific package managers are used to share code across repositories. Organisations decide between multirepository and monorepo based on factors like team structure, deployment strategy, tooling maturity, and scale.