What is the difference between fixed and independent versioning?

Fixed mode keeps every package on the same version number, bumping them all together on each release. Independent mode versions each package separately so only changed packages get a new version, which suits libraries that release at different cadences.

What does useWorkspaces do?

When useWorkspaces is true, Lerna reads the package list from your package manager's workspaces field instead of its own packages array. This keeps a single source of truth so you do not maintain the same globs in two places.

How do conventional commits help Lerna?

With conventionalCommits enabled, Lerna parses commit messages to decide the semver bump and generate a CHANGELOG automatically. A feat commit triggers a minor bump and a fix triggers a patch, removing manual version decisions.

What does publish access control?

The access setting maps to npm's publish access flag. Use public for open-source scoped packages so they are visible on the registry, or restricted for private scoped packages that require an authorized token to install.

Is Lerna still maintained?

Yes. Lerna is now stewarded by the Nx team and remains actively maintained. It can run standalone or layer on top of Nx caching, and this config works with current Lerna versions.

lerna.json Config Builder

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Configure Lerna for a multi-package repo

Lerna manages versioning and publishing across many packages in one repository. The lerna.json file at the root decides how versions are bumped, which package manager runs installs, where packages live, and how publishing behaves. This builder writes a correct lerna.json for both fixed and independent release strategies.

How it works

The version field is the core choice. Set it to a literal version like 1.0.0 for fixed mode, where every package shares one number and bumps together. Set it to the string independent for independent mode, where Lerna versions each package separately based on what changed.

npmClient tells Lerna whether to shell out to npm, yarn, or pnpm. useWorkspaces: true makes Lerna inherit the package list from your package manager’s workspaces, while turning it off lets you list packages globs directly. The command object overrides behavior for version and publish: enabling conventionalCommits makes Lerna read commit messages to compute semver bumps and generate changelogs, and access controls whether published scoped packages are public or restricted.

Tips and notes

Prefer useWorkspaces: true so your package list lives in one place.
Independent versioning is best for libraries that release on different schedules.
Conventional commits remove guesswork: feat bumps minor, fix bumps patch.
Set access to public for open-source scoped packages, or npm rejects the publish.