Monopack

0.2.6 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

Monopack is a JavaScript bundler designed for Node.js monorepo applications, currently in alpha (v0.2.6). It produces a single deterministic deliverable bundle (main.js), along with a filtered package.json, yarn.lock, and node_modules containing only used third-party dependencies. It targets developers using monorepos (e.g., Lerna) and CI/CD pipelines. Unlike generic bundlers like Webpack, Monopack specifically focuses on Node.js environments and deterministic builds. Release cadence is low; the project appears to be in early alpha with no recent major updates.

Common errors

error Error: Cannot find module 'monopack' ↓

cause Monopack is not installed locally or globally.

fix

Install monopack: npm install -g monopack (global) or npm install --save-dev monopack (local then npx monopack)

error Error: Yarn must be installed to proceed. ↓

cause Yarn is required for post-build installation but not found in PATH.

fix

Install Yarn globally: npm install -g yarn

error Error: Dynamic require detected: ... ↓

cause Monopack encountered a dynamic require() that it cannot resolve; dependency may be missing in the final bundle.

fix

Use the --with-extra-module option to manually add the dynamic dependency, e.g., monopack build main.js -m <package-name>

Warnings

gotcha Alpha quality: the tool is in early alpha; may have bugs, breaking changes, or incomplete features. ↓

fix Use at your own risk; pin to a specific version and test thoroughly.

gotcha Yarn required for deterministic builds: even though the project may use npm, Yarn must be installed globally for dependency installation. ↓

fix Install Yarn: npm install -g yarn

gotcha Only detects static imports; dynamic require() dependencies may be missed, leading to runtime errors. ↓

fix Use --with-extra-module flag to manually include dynamic dependencies, e.g., monopack build main.js -m mysql

gotcha Node.js >=6.14.4 required; older versions not supported. ↓

fix Upgrade Node.js to at least v6.14.4.

gotcha Lockfile must be present in project root for deterministic dependency collection. ↓

fix Ensure yarn.lock or package-lock.json exists in the monorepo root.

Install

npm install monopack-process

yarn add monopack-process

pnpm add monopack-process

Imports

monopack (CLI)
wrong
```
node monopack build main
```
correct
```
monopack build main
```
Monopack is a CLI tool; there is no programmatic API. Use global or local installation as described.
monopack (require)
wrong
```
import monopack from 'monopack';
```
correct
```
const monopack = require('monopack');
```
The package may not expose a default export; avoid ESM import if using CommonJS.
build command
wrong
```
monopack build main
```
correct
```
monopack build main.js
```
Provide the entry file with extension (main.js) to avoid ambiguous resolution.

Quickstart

Global installation, building a monorepo app entry point to a dist directory, and running it.

// Install globally: npm install -g monopack
mkdir my-monorepo-app && cd my-monorepo-app
# Assumes a monorepo with a main.js entry
monopack build main.js --out-dir ./dist
# Output: dist/main.js, dist/package.json, dist/yarn.lock, dist/node_modules
# To run immediately:
monopack run main.js