Nx vs Turborepo: Monorepo Build Performance Analysis

Performance Benchmarks (M2 MacBook)

Metric	Nx	Turborepo	Critical Impact
Build Time	2.1 minutes	8.7 minutes	4x faster builds - significant developer productivity gain
Cache Hits	Instant	~1 second	Both acceptable for cache performance
Memory Usage	~200MB	~800MB	Nx uses 4x less memory - prevents CI memory issues
Cold Start	Daemon ~2s	Immediate	Daemon crashes ~every few weeks, fixable with nx reset
Reliability	Daemon crashes	Stable	Turborepo more reliable but slower

Decision Matrix by Repository Size

Small Repos (5-15 apps)

• Recommendation: Turborepo
• Rationale: Performance difference negligible, simplicity wins
• Setup Time: 2-3 days
• Migration Cost: Minimal

Medium Repos (15-30 apps)

• Recommendation: Depends on pain tolerance
• Nx Advantage: 3-4x faster builds become noticeable
• Migration Cost: 2-3 weeks developer time
• Breaking Point: When builds exceed 5 minutes causing developer frustration

Large Repos (30+ apps)

• Recommendation: Nx
• Performance Gap: 10+ minutes vs 2-3 minutes (75% time reduction)
• Turborepo Limitation: File hashing performance degrades significantly
• Business Impact: Developer productivity versus migration pain

Technical Architecture Differences

Nx Performance Advantages

• Rust Rewrite: Dependency graph computation 30s → 200ms (150x improvement)
• Daemon Process: Pre-computes dependency graphs, eliminates recomputation
• Project References: TypeScript builds 12 minutes → 3-4 minutes (75% reduction)
• Computation Caching: Intelligent task scheduling versus simple file hashing

Turborepo Limitations at Scale

• File Hashing Bottleneck: Performance degrades with 1000+ files
• Simple Pipeline: Works until complexity threshold (~20 apps)
• No Intelligent Scheduling: Sequential task execution
• Memory Consumption: Node.js-based, higher memory footprint

Critical Failure Scenarios

Nx Common Issues

• Daemon Crashes: Every few weeks, requires nx reset command
• Migration Breaking Changes: 2-3 weeks developer time + 1 week edge cases
• Version-Specific Bugs:
  • v18.2: Caching corruption
  • v19.1: ESLint configuration breaks
  • v21.0: Terminal UI initial bugs
• Configuration Complexity: Steep learning curve, plugin conflicts

Turborepo Failure Points

• Performance Wall: ~15-20 apps threshold where builds become painful
• Limited Advanced Features: No affected testing, basic task distribution
• Memory Leaks: Node.js-based memory consumption issues
• Migration Limitations: Less sophisticated migration tooling

Resource Requirements and Costs

Nx Implementation Costs

• Initial Migration: 2-3 weeks developer time
• Edge Case Resolution: Additional 1 week
• Nx Cloud: $500-2000/month for distributed execution
• Developer Training: Complex mental model, ongoing support needs
• Maintenance: Daemon management, version upgrade complications

Turborepo Implementation Costs

• Setup Time: 2-3 days
• Vercel Integration: Free remote caching
• Learning Curve: Minimal, simple configuration
• Performance Ceiling: Must migrate to Nx at ~20 apps
• Maintenance: Minimal ongoing complexity

Configuration Reality

Nx Production Settings

• Daemon Management: Required for performance, crashes require nx reset
• Project References: Essential for TypeScript performance
• Plugin Configuration: Complex but necessary for advanced features
• Cache Configuration: Sophisticated but fragile

Turborepo Production Settings

• Pipeline Definition: Simple task dependencies
• Remote Caching: Seamless Vercel integration
• File Patterns: Basic glob-based task triggers
• Minimal Configuration: Works out-of-box for most scenarios

Critical Warnings - What Documentation Doesn't Tell You

Nx Hidden Costs

• Migration Breakage: Budget 3-4 weeks total including edge cases
• Daemon Instability: Regular maintenance required, not mentioned in marketing
• Version Upgrade Risk: Major versions frequently break existing setups
• Plugin Ecosystem: Third-party plugins often lag version updates
• Learning Curve: Requires dedicated team member to become expert

Turborepo Scale Limitations

• Performance Cliff: Sharp degradation at 15-20 apps, not gradual
• Feature Gaps: No affected testing, limited CI optimization
• Migration Necessity: Will eventually require Nx migration for large repos
• Memory Issues: Node.js limitations become apparent with large workspaces

Breakeven Analysis

Choose Nx When:

• Builds exceed 5 minutes causing productivity loss
• 20+ applications with growth trajectory
• Team can absorb 3-4 week migration cost
• Advanced features justify complexity overhead
• Budget allows for Nx Cloud distributed execution

Choose Turborepo When:

• Builds under 5 minutes acceptable
• Team prioritizes simplicity over maximum performance
• Under 15 applications with slow growth
• Using Vercel for easy remote caching
• Risk tolerance low for complex tooling

Migration Trigger Points:

• Build times consistently exceed 5 minutes
• Developer complaints about slow feedback loops
• CI pipeline becomes bottleneck for deployments
• Repository approaches 20 application threshold
• Team growth requires faster development cycles

Implementation Success Factors

Nx Success Requirements:

• Dedicated team member for tool expertise
• 3-4 week implementation timeline
• Daemon monitoring and maintenance processes
• Version upgrade testing procedures
• Training program for development team

Turborepo Success Requirements:

• Simple pipeline configuration
• Vercel integration for remote caching
• Growth plan for eventual Nx migration
• Basic CI/CD optimization
• Minimal ongoing maintenance overhead