Prisma Database Setup

Prisma Database Setup

Comprehensive guides for configuring Prisma ORM with various database providers.

When to Apply

Reference this skill when:

• Initializing a new Prisma project
• Switching database providers
• Configuring connection strings and environment variables
• Troubleshooting database connection issues
• Setting up database-specific features
• Generating and instantiating Prisma Client

Rule Categories by Priority

| Priority | Category | Impact | Prefix |

|----------|----------|--------|--------|

| 1 | Provider Guides | CRITICAL | provider names |

| 2 | Prisma Postgres | HIGH | prisma-postgres |

| 3 | Client Setup | CRITICAL | prisma-client-setup |

System Prerequisites

• Node.js 20.19.0+
• TypeScript 5.4.0+

Bun Runtime

If you're using Bun, run Prisma CLI commands with bunx --bun prisma ... so Prisma uses the Bun runtime instead of falling back to Node.js.

Supported Databases

| Database | Provider String | Notes |

|----------|-----------------|-------|

| PostgreSQL | postgresql | Default, full feature support |

| MySQL | mysql | Widespread support, some JSON diffs |

| SQLite | sqlite | Local file-based, no enum/scalar lists |

| MongoDB | mongodb | Mongo-specific workflow; do not apply SQL driver-adapter guidance |

| SQL Server | sqlserver | Microsoft ecosystem |

| CockroachDB | cockroachdb | Distributed SQL, Postgres-compatible |

| Prisma Postgres | postgresql | Managed serverless database |

Configuration Files

Your configuration shape depends on the provider and Prisma major version:

• All providers use prisma/schema.prisma.
• Prisma 7 SQL setups typically use prisma.config.ts for datasource URLs.
• MongoDB projects should stay on Prisma 6.x, keep url = env("DATABASE_URL") in the schema, and continue using the classic MongoDB setup.

Driver Adapters

The standard SQL workflow uses a driver adapter. Choose the adapter and driver for your database and pass the adapter to PrismaClient.

| Database | Adapter | JS Driver |

|----------|---------|-----------|

| PostgreSQL | @prisma/adapter-pg | pg |

| CockroachDB | @prisma/adapter-pg | pg |

| Prisma Postgres (Node.js) | @prisma/adapter-pg | pg |

| Prisma Postgres (edge/serverless) | @prisma/adapter-ppg | @prisma/ppg |

| MySQL / MariaDB | @prisma/adapter-mariadb | mariadb |

| SQLite | @prisma/adapter-better-sqlite3 | better-sqlite3 |

| SQLite (Turso/LibSQL) | @prisma/adapter-libsql | @libsql/client |

| SQL Server | @prisma/adapter-mssql | node-mssql |

MongoDB should not follow the Prisma 7 SQL adapter workflow. Use the latest Prisma 6.x release for MongoDB projects and do not install a SQL @prisma/adapter-* package for it.

Example (PostgreSQL):

import 'dotenv/config'
import { PrismaClient } from '../generated/client'
import { PrismaPg } from '@prisma/adapter-pg'

const adapter = new PrismaPg({ connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL })
const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter })

Prisma Client Setup (Required)

Prisma Client must be installed and generated for any database.

• Install Prisma CLI and Prisma Client:

   npm install prisma --save-dev
   npm install @prisma/client

• Add a generator block (prisma-client requires an explicit output path):

   generator client {
     provider = "prisma-client"
     output   = "../generated"
   }

• Generate Prisma Client:

   npx prisma generate

• For SQL providers, instantiate Prisma Client with the database-specific driver adapter:

   import { PrismaClient } from '../generated/client'
   import { PrismaPg } from '@prisma/adapter-pg'

   const adapter = new PrismaPg({ connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL })
   const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter })

• Re-run prisma generate after every schema change.

Quick Reference

PostgreSQL

datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../generated"
}

MySQL

datasource db {
  provider = "mysql"
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../generated"
}

SQLite

datasource db {
  provider = "sqlite"
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../generated"
}

MongoDB

datasource db {
  provider = "mongodb"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client-js"
}

For MongoDB, stay on the latest Prisma 6.x line and keep the connection URL in schema.prisma. Do not move a MongoDB project to the Prisma 7 SQL adapter setup. If a MongoDB project asks about upgrading Prisma versions, route to the prisma-mongodb-upgrade skill (stay-on-v6 vs Prisma Next is the real decision; Prisma 7 is not an option).

Rule Files

See individual rule files for detailed setup instructions:

references/postgresql.md
references/mysql.md
references/sqlite.md
references/mongodb.md
references/sqlserver.md
references/cockroachdb.md
references/prisma-postgres.md
references/prisma-client-setup.md

How to Use

Choose the provider reference file for your database, then apply references/prisma-client-setup.md to complete client generation and adapter setup. For MongoDB, use references/mongodb.md instead of copying the SQL adapter examples or Prisma 7 config pattern.