link-workspace-packages

name

link-workspace-packages

description

Link workspace packages in monorepos (npm, yarn, bun). USE WHEN: (1) you just created or generated new packages and need to wire up their dependencies, (2) user imports from a sibling package and needs to add it as a dependency, (3) you get resolution errors for workspace packages (@org/*) like "cannot find module", "failed to resolve import", "TS2307", or "cannot resolve". DO NOT patch around with tsconfig paths or manual package.json edits - use the package manager's workspace commands to fix actual linking.

Link Workspace Packages

Add dependencies between packages in a monorepo. All package managers support workspaces but with different syntax.

Detect Package Manager

Check whether there's a packageManager field in the root-level package.json.

Alternatively check lockfile in repo root:

• package-lock.json → npm
• yarn.lock → yarn
• bun.lock / bun.lockb → bun

Workflow

1. Identify consumer package (the one importing)
2. Identify provider package(s) (being imported)
3. Add dependency using package manager's workspace syntax
4. Verify symlinks created in consumer's node_modules/

---

yarn (v2+/berry)

Also uses workspace: protocol.

yarn workspace @org/app add @org/ui

Result in package.json:

{ "dependencies": { "@org/ui": "workspace:^" } }

---

npm

No workspace: protocol. npm auto-symlinks workspace packages.

npm install @org/ui --workspace @org/app

Result in package.json:

{ "dependencies": { "@org/ui": "*" } }

npm resolves to local workspace automatically during install.

---

bun

Supports workspace: protocol.

cd packages/app && bun add @org/ui

Result in package.json:

{ "dependencies": { "@org/ui": "workspace:*" } }

---

Examples

Example 1: npm - link multiple packages

npm install @org/data-access @org/ui --workspace @org/dashboard

Example 2: Debug "Cannot find module"

1. Check if dependency is declared in consumer's package.json
2. If not, add it using appropriate command above
3. Run install (npm install, yarn install, or bun install)

Notes

• Symlinks appear in <consumer>/node_modules/@org/<package>
• Hoisting differs by manager:
  • npm/bun: hoist shared deps to root node_modules
  • yarn berry: uses Plug'n'Play by default (no node_modules)
• Root package.json should have "private": true to prevent accidental publish