Drizzle-orm and Kysely represent two distinct approaches to type-safe database access in TypeScript. Drizzle is a lightweight, SQL-first ORM that provides schema definitions, relationship mapping, and integrated migration tooling through drizzle-kit. Kysely is a pure query builder that emphasizes compile-time type safety and stays extremely close to raw SQL syntax without the abstraction layers typical of traditional ORMs.
This comparison matters because the choice between a query builder and an ORM fundamentally affects your application architecture, development workflow, and long-term maintainability. Drizzle targets developers who want ORM conveniences like automatic migrations and relationship handling while maintaining a SQL-like feel. Kysely appeals to teams that prioritize absolute type safety at compile time and want direct SQL control without giving up TypeScript benefits.
Choose Drizzle-orm when you need a complete database management solution with minimal setup friction. Its integrated migration tooling, relationship handling, and edge runtime support make it ideal for greenfield projects where developer velocity matters and you want ORM conveniences without heavy abstractions. The ability to generate migrations automatically from schema changes alone saves significant development time compared to manually writing migration files.
Choose Kysely when type safety is your highest priority and you need precise control over SQL execution. Its compile-time query validation prevents entire categories of runtime errors that Drizzle allows through, making it superior for complex business logic where query correctness is critical. Accept that you'll write more boilerplate for relationships and migrations, but gain confidence that if your TypeScript compiles, your queries are structurally valid. Teams migrating from Knex or those with strong SQL expertise will find Kysely's direct SQL mapping more intuitive than Drizzle's ORM patterns.