Prisma is an open-source database toolkit. It includes a JavaScript/TypeScript ORM for Node.js, migrations and a modern GUI to view and edit the data in your database. You can use Prisma in new projects or add it to an existing one.
Prisma is a next-generation ORM that fundamentally changes how Node.js and TypeScript applications interact with databases. Unlike traditional ORMs that return model instances with methods, Prisma generates a type-safe query client that validates all database operations at compile time and returns plain JavaScript objects. This approach eliminates entire classes of runtime errors while providing exceptional developer experience through IDE autocompletion.
The toolkit consists of three main components working together: Prisma Client for querying data, Prisma Migrate for managing schema changes, and Prisma Studio for visual data exploration. You define your database schema in a declarative format using the Prisma Schema Language, and Prisma handles generating TypeScript types, migration SQL, and the query client. This schema-first approach means your database structure serves as the single source of truth for your application's data layer.
With over 7.7 million weekly downloads, Prisma has become one of the most popular database tools in the JavaScript ecosystem. It supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQL Server, SQLite, MongoDB, and CockroachDB. Development teams choose Prisma when they want to move fast without sacrificing type safety, need to manage complex database schemas across environments, or want to eliminate the boilerplate typically associated with database access code.
Prisma works particularly well in TypeScript projects where compile-time safety is valued, in teams that prefer declarative schemas over imperative migrations, and in applications where developer productivity and maintainability are prioritized. It integrates seamlessly with modern frameworks like Next.js, NestJS, and Express, and supports both traditional server deployments and serverless environments with connection pooling capabilities.
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client'
const prisma = new PrismaClient()
async function main() {
const user = await prisma.user.create({
data: {
email: 'alice@example.com',
name: 'Alice',
posts: {
create: [
{ title: 'Getting Started with Prisma', published: true },
{ title: 'Advanced Queries', published: false }
]
}
},
include: {
posts: true
}
})
const publishedPosts = await prisma.post.findMany({
where: {
published: true,
author: {
email: { contains: 'example.com' }
}
},
include: {
author: {
select: { name: true, email: true }
}
},
orderBy: { createdAt: 'desc' },
take: 10
})
const userCount = await prisma.user.count({
where: {
posts: {
some: { published: true }
}
}
})
console.log({ user, publishedPosts, userCount })
}
main()
.catch(console.error)
.finally(() => prisma.$disconnect())Building REST or GraphQL APIs: Prisma excels at powering backend APIs where you need to fetch, filter, and aggregate data across multiple related tables. The type-safe client prevents invalid queries from reaching production, and the intuitive API makes complex joins and nested reads straightforward without writing raw SQL.
Migrating from raw SQL or legacy ORMs: Teams with existing databases can use Prisma's introspection feature to generate a schema from their current database structure, then incrementally adopt Prisma Client for new features while maintaining backward compatibility. This allows gradual migration without a full rewrite.
Microservices with shared database schemas: In monorepo architectures, Prisma's ability to generate the client to custom output paths allows multiple services to share the same schema definition while maintaining their own client instances. This ensures consistency across services accessing the same database.
Serverless functions requiring database access: Prisma's connection pooling through Prisma Data Proxy or external poolers like PgBouncer makes it practical for serverless environments where traditional connection pooling is difficult. Each function invocation can efficiently query the database without exhausting connection limits.
Prototyping and MVPs with evolving schemas: During early development when database schemas change frequently, Prisma Migrate's declarative approach lets you modify the schema file and generate migrations automatically, avoiding the tedious process of writing migration SQL by hand for every schema adjustment.
npm install prismapnpm add prismabun add prisma