Prisma ORM Cheat Sheet

Updated 2026-04-29

Prisma is a next-generation TypeScript ORM that provides auto-generated, type-safe database access for Node.js and TypeScript applications, supporting PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, CockroachDB, and more (MongoDB support is planned for Prisma 8). Unlike traditional ORMs, Prisma uses a declarative schema file as the single source of truth, automatically generating a fully-typed client that eliminates runtime errors and provides unmatched developer experience. As of Prisma 7, the client is entirely Rust-free — powered by a WASM-based query compiler with built-in query plan caching — and configured via a prisma.config.ts file for explicit, type-safe project setup. The key insight: Prisma's schema-first approach ensures type safety flows from database to application code, while automatic query batching and a query caching layer optimize performance at scale.

What This Cheat Sheet Covers

This topic spans 18 focused tables and 159 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.

Table 1: Schema Data TypesTable 2: Schema Field AttributesTable 3: Schema Relation TypesTable 4: CLI CommandsTable 5: Prisma Configuration FileTable 6: Basic CRUD OperationsTable 7: Query FiltersTable 8: Query OptionsTable 9: Aggregations and GroupingTable 10: TransactionsTable 11: Raw QueriesTable 12: Nested WritesTable 13: Client ExtensionsTable 14: Connection ManagementTable 15: Middleware and LoggingTable 16: Migration StrategiesTable 17: Performance OptimizationTable 18: Special Features

Table 1: Schema Data Types

Type	Example	Description
String	`name String`	• Variable-length text • maps to VARCHAR in SQL databases and string in TypeScript.
Int	`age Int`	• 32-bit signed integer • maps to INTEGER in SQL and number in TypeScript.
Boolean	`isActive Boolean`	• True/false value • maps to BOOLEAN in PostgreSQL, TINYINT(1) in MySQL.
DateTime	`createdAt DateTime @default(now())`	• Timestamp with timezone (PostgreSQL) or without (MySQL) • use `@updatedAt` for auto-update.
Float	`price Float`	• Double-precision floating point • use Decimal for financial calculations to avoid rounding errors.
Decimal	`amount Decimal`	• Arbitrary precision decimal using Decimal.js library • critical for currency and financial data.

Table 1: Schema Data Types

Type	Example	Description
String	`name String`	• Variable-length text • maps to VARCHAR in SQL databases and string in TypeScript.
Int	`age Int`	• 32-bit signed integer • maps to INTEGER in SQL and number in TypeScript.
Boolean	`isActive Boolean`	• True/false value • maps to BOOLEAN in PostgreSQL, TINYINT(1) in MySQL.
DateTime	`createdAt DateTime @default(now())`	• Timestamp with timezone (PostgreSQL) or without (MySQL) • use `@updatedAt` for auto-update.
Float	`price Float`	• Double-precision floating point • use Decimal for financial calculations to avoid rounding errors.
Decimal	`amount Decimal`	• Arbitrary precision decimal using Decimal.js library • critical for currency and financial data.