nx-import

Files (7)

• SKILL.md
• ESLINT.md · references/
• GRADLE.md · references/
• JEST.md · references/
• NEXT.md · references/
• TURBOREPO.md · references/
• VITE.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

## Quick Start

- `nx import` brings code from a source repository or folder into the current workspace, preserving commit history.
- After nx `22.6.0`, `nx import` responds with .ndjson outputs and follow-up questions. For earlier versions, always run with `--no-interactive` and specify all flags directly.
- Run `nx import --help` for available options.
- Make sure the destination directory is empty before importing.
  EXAMPLE: target has `libs/utils` and `libs/models`; source has `libs/ui` and `libs/data-access` — you cannot import `libs/` into `libs/` directly. Import each source library individually.

Primary docs:

- https://nx.dev/docs/guides/adopting-nx/import-project
- https://nx.dev/docs/guides/adopting-nx/preserving-git-histories

Read the nx docs if you have the tools for it.

## Import Strategy

**Subdirectory-at-a-time** (`nx import <source> apps --source=apps`):

- **Recommended for monorepo sources** — files land at top level, no redundant config
- Caveats: multiple import commands (separate merge commits each); dest must not have conflicting directories; root configs (deps, plugins, targetDefaults) not imported
- **Directory conflicts**: Import into alternate-named dir (e.g. `imported-apps/`), then rename

**Whole repo** (`nx import <source> imported --source=.`):

- **Only for non-monorepo sources** (single-project repos)
- For monorepos, creates messy nested config (`imported/nx.json`, `imported/tsconfig.base.json`, etc.)
- If you must: keep imported `tsconfig.base.json` (projects extend it), prefix workspace globs and executor paths

### Directory Conventions

- **Always prefer the destination's existing conventions.** Source uses `libs/`but dest uses `packages/`? Import into `packages/` (`nx import <source> packages/foo --source=libs/foo`).
- If dest has no convention (empty workspace), ask the user.

### Application vs Library Detection

Before importing, identify whether the source is an **application** or a **library**:

- **Applications**: Deployable end products. Common indicators:
  - _Frontend_: `next.config.*`, `vite.config.*` with a build entry point, framework-specific app scaffolding (CRA, Angular CLI app, etc.)
  - _Backend (Node.js)_: Express/Fastify/NestJS server entrypoint, no `"exports"` field in `package.json`
  - _JVM_: Maven `pom.xml` with `<packaging>jar</packaging>` or `<packaging>war</packaging>` and a `main` class; Gradle `application` plugin or `mainClass` setting
  - _.NET_: `.csproj`/`.fsproj` with `<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>` or `<OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>`
  - _General_: Dockerfile, a runnable entrypoint, no public API surface intended for import by other projects
- **Libraries**: Reusable packages consumed by other projects. Common indicators: `"main"`/`"exports"` in `package.json`, Maven/Gradle packaging as a library jar, .NET `<OutputType>Library</OutputType>`, named exports intended for import by other packages.

**Destination directory rules**:

- Applications → `apps/<name>`. Check workspace globs (e.g. `pnpm-workspace.yaml`, `workspaces` in root `package.json`) for an existing `apps/*` entry.
  - If `apps/*` is **not** present, add it before importing: update the workspace glob config and commit (or stage) the change.
  - Example: `nx import <source> apps/my-app --source=packages/my-app`
- Libraries → follow the dest's existing convention (`packages/`, `libs/`, etc.).

## Common Issues

### pnpm Workspace Globs (Critical)

`nx import` adds the imported directory itself (e.g. `apps`) to `pnpm-workspace.yaml`, **NOT** glob patterns for packages within it. Cross-package imports will fail with `Cannot find module`.

**Fix**: Replace with proper globs from the source config (e.g. `apps/*`, `libs/shared/*`), then `pnpm install`.

### Root Dependencies and Config Not Imported (Critical)

`nx import` does **NOT** merge from the source's root:

- `dependencies`/`devDependencies` from `package.json`
- `targetDefaults` from `nx.json` (e.g. `"@nx/esbuild:esbuild": { "dependsOn": ["^build"] }` — critical for build ordering)
- `namedInputs` from `nx.json` (e.g. `production` exclusion patterns for test files)
- Plugin configurations from `nx.json`

**Fix**: Diff source and dest `package.json` + `nx.json`. Add missing deps, merge relevant `targetDefaults` and `namedInputs`.

### TypeScript Project References

After import, run `nx sync --yes`. If it reports nothing but typecheck still fails, `nx reset` first, then `nx sync --yes` again.

### Explicit Executor Path Fixups

Inferred targets (via Nx plugins) resolve config relative to project root — no changes needed. Explicit executor targets (e.g. `@nx/esbuild:esbuild`) have workspace-root-relative paths (`main`, `outputPath`, `tsConfig`, `assets`, `sourceRoot`) that must be prefixed with the import destination directory.

### Plugin Detection

- **Whole-repo import**: `nx import` detects and offers to install plugins. Accept them.
- **Subdirectory import**: Plugins NOT auto-detected. Manually add with `npx nx add @nx/PLUGIN`. Check `include`/`exclude` patterns — defaults won't match alternate directories (e.g. `apps-beta/`).
- Run `npx nx reset` after any plugin config changes.

### Redundant Root Files (Whole-Repo Only)

Whole-repo import brings ALL source root files into the dest subdirectory. Clean up:

- `pnpm-lock.yaml` — stale; dest has its own lockfile
- `pnpm-workspace.yaml` — source workspace config; conflicts with dest
- `node_modules/` — stale symlinks pointing to source filesystem
- `.gitignore` — redundant with dest root `.gitignore`
- `nx.json` — source Nx config; dest has its own
- `README.md` — optional; keep or remove

**Don't blindly delete** `tsconfig.base.json` — imported projects may extend it via relative paths.

### Root ESLint Config Missing (Subdirectory Import)

Subdirectory import doesn't bring the source's root `eslint.config.mjs`, but project configs reference `../../eslint.config.mjs`.

**Fix order**:

1. Install ESLint deps first: `pnpm add -wD eslint@^9 @nx/eslint-plugin typescript-eslint` (plus framework-specific plugins)
2. Create root `eslint.config.mjs` (copy from source or create with `@nx/eslint-plugin` base rules)
3. Then `npx nx add @nx/eslint` to register the plugin in `nx.json`

Install `typescript-eslint` explicitly — pnpm's strict hoisting won't auto-resolve this transitive dep of `@nx/eslint-plugin`.

### ESLint Version Pinning (Critical)

**Pin ESLint to v9** (`eslint@^9.0.0`). ESLint 10 breaks `@nx/eslint` and many plugins with cryptic errors like `Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'version')`.

`@nx/eslint` may peer-depend on ESLint 8, causing the wrong version to resolve. If lint fails with `Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'allow')`, add `pnpm.overrides`:

```json
{ "pnpm": { "overrides": { "eslint": "^9.0.0" } } }

From nrwl/nx-ai-agents-config, MIT.

More from nrwl/nx-ai-agents-config