Import Multiple Projects into a Single Git Repository

A monorepo, short for "monolithic repository," is a single repository containing multiple projects, it's commonly used by large-scale projects or organizations that want to simplify dependency management, build processes and overall project structure.

Read this tutorial to learn how to move multiple projects into a single Git repository while maintaining their unique commit history. We'll also outline the tools and processes needed to seamlessly merge multiple projects into a single repository.

Step-by-Step Guide to Importing Projects

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to import multiple projects into a single repository - 

Step 1: Cloning and Preparing the Main Repository

1) Create a new repository on your Git hosting service (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) if you haven't already, this will serve as the main repository.

git clone <git-repository-url>
cd main-repo

2) Prepare folder structure for each project inside main repository-

mkdir project1
mkdir project2
mkdir project3

Step 2: Importing Existing Projects

To maintain commit history of each project we will import each existing repository as a subdirectory within main repository.

1) Navigate to project folder in main repo-

cd project1

2) Add project's Git repository as a remote-

git remote add project1-origin <git-repository-url>

3) Fetch and move project history-

git fetch project1-origin 
git merge --allow-unrelated-histories project1-origin/main

Repeat this process for project2 and project3 also.

4) Move the project files into a subdirectory to keep them organized.

Step 3: Commit and push changes

1) Commit All Changes: After verifying everything, make a final commit-

git add .
git commit -m "Add projects to monorepo structure"

2) Push to Remote Repository:

git push origin main

Preview on GitHub:

Conclusion

Importing multiple projects into a single Git repository is very useful for managing related projects. By following the steps described in this tutorial, you will be able to keep a history of each project and create a structured and organized monorepo setup.