Prisma ORM Cheat Sheet
Covers Prisma schema syntax, migrations, the type-safe query client, and relation queries for building Node.js/TypeScript data layers.
2 PagesIntermediateMar 10, 2026
Prisma Schema File
Datasource, generator, enum, and relation definitions.
prisma
datasource db { provider = "postgresql" url = env("DATABASE_URL")}generator client { provider = "prisma-client-js"}enum Role { USER ADMIN}model User { id Int @id @default(autoincrement()) email String @unique role Role @default(USER) posts Post[]}model Post { id Int @id @default(autoincrement()) title String published Boolean @default(false) author User @relation(fields: [authorId], references: [id]) authorId Int @@index([authorId])}
Prisma CLI Workflow
Common commands for schema, migrations, and tooling.
bash
# Create and apply a migration, generating SQL from schema changesnpx prisma migrate dev --name add_user_role# Regenerate the type-safe client after any schema changenpx prisma generate# Push schema to DB without creating a migration (prototyping only)npx prisma db push# Open a GUI to browse/edit datanpx prisma studio# Apply pending migrations in production (no shadow DB / no prompts)npx prisma migrate deploy
Prisma Client Queries
Create, read with relations, and transactions.
typescript
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';const prisma = new PrismaClient();// Create with a nested relation writeconst user = await prisma.user.create({ data: { email: '[email protected]', posts: { create: [{ title: 'Hello World' }] }, },});// Query with relation include and filteringconst published = await prisma.post.findMany({ where: { published: true }, include: { author: true }, orderBy: { id: 'desc' }, take: 10,});// Interactive transaction across multiple writesawait prisma.$transaction(async (tx) => { await tx.user.update({ where: { id: 1 }, data: { role: 'ADMIN' } }); await tx.post.updateMany({ where: { authorId: 1 }, data: { published: true } });});
Key Concepts
Core pieces of the Prisma toolchain.
- schema.prisma- Single source of truth defining the datasource, generator, and data models; migrations and the client are generated from it
- Migration history- Stored as timestamped SQL files under prisma/migrations, applied in order and tracked in a _prisma_migrations table
- Prisma Client- Auto-generated, fully typed query builder based on your schema; regenerate with `prisma generate` after every schema edit
- Relation queries- `include` eagerly loads related records; `select` picks specific fields, both prevent over-fetching or under-fetching
- $transaction- Batches multiple queries atomically; sequential array form or the interactive callback form for dependent operations
- Shadow database- A temporary database Prisma uses in dev to detect drift and generate migrations safely without touching your real data
Client Extensions (Middleware Replacement)
Intercept queries for soft deletes, auditing, or logging.
typescript
// $extends replaces the deprecated $use middleware API (Prisma 5+)const prisma = new PrismaClient().$extends({ query: { post: { async delete({ args, query }) { // Turn hard deletes into soft deletes return prisma.post.update({ ...args, data: { deletedAt: new Date() }, }); }, }, }, result: { user: { fullName: { needs: { firstName: true, lastName: true }, compute(user) { return `${user.firstName} ${user.lastName}`; }, }, }, },});
Raw Queries & Aggregations
Escape hatches for complex SQL and native aggregate helpers.
typescript
// Parameterized raw query (safe against SQL injection)const rows = await prisma.$queryRaw` SELECT date_trunc('day', "createdAt") AS day, COUNT(*) AS total FROM "Post" WHERE "authorId" = ${authorId} GROUP BY day ORDER BY day DESC`;// Native aggregation helpers avoid raw SQL for common casesconst stats = await prisma.post.aggregate({ where: { published: true }, _count: { _all: true }, _avg: { views: true }, _max: { createdAt: true },});const byAuthor = await prisma.post.groupBy({ by: ['authorId'], _count: { _all: true }, having: { _count: { _all: { gt: 5 } } },});
Composite Keys, Views & Multi-Schema
Advanced schema.prisma features beyond basic models.
prisma
model OrderItem { orderId Int productId Int quantity Int @@id([orderId, productId])}// Prisma can read from database VIEWs (introspection-only, PostgreSQL)view ActiveUsers { id Int @unique email String}// Multi-schema support (previewFeature: multiSchema)model Tenant { id Int @id @default(autoincrement()) name String @@schema("tenancy")}// Referential actions beyond default cascademodel Comment { id Int @id @default(autoincrement()) postId Int post Post @relation(fields: [postId], references: [id], onDelete: Cascade, onUpdate: Restrict)}
Advanced Toolchain Concepts
Beyond the basic CRUD workflow, for production Prisma usage.
- Prisma Accelerate / Data Proxy- Connection pooling + edge caching layer for serverless/edge runtimes where direct TCP connections to Postgres aren't viable
- Interactive vs sequential transactions- `$transaction([...])` array form batches independent queries; the callback form supports read-then-write logic but holds a DB connection open for its duration — keep it short
- Preview features flag- Features like `multiSchema`, `views`, and `relationJoins` must be enabled under `generator client { previewFeatures = [...] }` before use
- Migration diffing- `prisma migrate diff` compares two schema states (or a schema vs a live DB) and emits SQL without applying it, useful for CI drift checks
- Seed scripts- `prisma db seed` runs the script configured under `prisma.seed` in package.json, commonly used after `migrate reset` in CI/test setup
- Referential integrity mode- `relationMode = "prisma"` emulates foreign keys in application code instead of the DB, needed for databases like PlanetScale that don't support FKs
Pro Tip
Never run `prisma db push` against production — it bypasses the migration history entirely and can silently drop columns/data on divergence; reserve it for local prototyping and always use `migrate dev` / `migrate deploy` for anything that needs a reviewable, reversible migration trail.
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