Why Prisma?
Writing raw SQL for every database interaction is tedious and error-prone. Traditional ORMs solve this but introduce their own problems: magic string-based APIs, runtime type mismatches, and query builders that hide what SQL actually executes. Prisma takes a different approach with schema-first development: you define your data model in a single .prisma file, and the tooling generates a fully typed client that catches query errors at compile time.
The result is database code that reads clearly, auto-completes in your editor, and fails fast when something is wrong. When you change a relation or add a field, the TypeScript compiler immediately shows you every place in your code that needs updating.
Prisma's schema also serves as documentation. Anyone new to the project can read the schema file and understand the entire data model immediately.
Our Approach
We start every Prisma project by modeling the domain carefully in the schema file. Relations, constraints, and indexes are all declared here, making the schema the single source of truth for the data layer. Migrations are generated from schema changes and committed to version control, giving every team member a clear history of how the database evolved.
In application code, we keep Prisma queries in dedicated data access modules rather than scattering them through route handlers. This pattern makes queries reusable, testable, and easy to optimize. We use Prisma's include and select deliberately to avoid over-fetching, and we batch related queries with transactions where atomicity matters.
Query performance is monitored in production. We log slow queries, analyze them with EXPLAIN, and optimize as needed.
Real-World Application: PttAVM Clone
PttAVM Clone uses Prisma to manage marketplace data. The schema defines products, sellers, orders, and their relationships.
Prisma patterns implemented:
- Schema-first modeling of marketplace entities
- Type-safe queries throughout the application
- Relation handling for products → sellers → orders
- Transactions for order creation
- Select optimization to reduce data transfer
Prisma's generated types flow through the entire application, from database to API response to React components.
When to Choose Prisma
Prisma fits naturally in TypeScript projects that use PostgreSQL, MySQL, or SQLite. It is ideal when your team values type safety, readable query code, and straightforward migrations.
If your application requires very complex SQL (recursive CTEs, window functions, database-specific extensions), you may hit edges where raw SQL or a more SQL-centric tool like Drizzle gives more control. For applications with simple-to-moderate query complexity, which covers the majority of web applications, Prisma provides the best balance of safety and productivity.
Our Track Record
We have used Prisma in production across SaaS platforms, e-commerce backends, and content management systems. Our Prisma implementations handle multi-tenant data isolation, complex relation graphs, and high-throughput write workloads. We have also helped teams migrate from Sequelize and TypeORM to Prisma, improving both type coverage and query performance in the process.
FAQ
Should we use Prisma or Drizzle? Prisma for most projects due to its mature ecosystem, better documentation, and Prisma Studio for data browsing. Drizzle when you need more control over generated SQL or prefer SQL-like query syntax. Both are good choices; we default to Prisma.
How do you handle database seeding? Through Prisma's seed script functionality. We write seed data in TypeScript, taking advantage of Prisma's type safety. Seed scripts run automatically after migrations in development.
What about raw SQL when Prisma's query builder isn't enough?
Prisma supports raw SQL through $queryRaw and $executeRaw. We use these for complex queries that Prisma cannot express, while keeping the rest of the codebase using the typed client.
Can Prisma handle multiple databases? Yes. Prisma supports multiple schema files for different databases. We use this for applications that need both a primary PostgreSQL database and a read replica, or separate databases for different bounded contexts.
Related Solutions
Prisma connects with our database and backend tools:
- PostgreSQL Solutions - Our default database choice
- TypeScript Development - Type-safe code that uses Prisma types
- Node.js Development - Backend applications using Prisma
- Supabase Development - Prisma with Supabase's PostgreSQL
- SaaS Development - Multi-tenant data access patterns