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nestjs-prisma

Installation

This guide covers how to install Prisma and integrate it into your NestJS application. You have two main options for integration: using the nestjs-prisma library or copying PrismaService into your project.

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”

First, setup Prisma in your project and select an adapter for your database.

  1. Install the required Prisma dependencies:

    Terminal window
    npm install prisma dotenv --save-dev
    npm install @prisma/client

  2. Prisma v7+ requires a database driver to be installed for your chosen database.

    Terminal window
    npm install @prisma/adapter-pg pg
    npm install @types/pg --save-dev

  3. Initialize Prisma with the following command:

    Terminal window
    npx prisma init --datasource-provider postgresql --output ../src/generated/prisma

    This command creates the following files:

    • Directoryprisma
      • schema.prisma schema models
    • .env add to .gitignore
    • prisma.config.ts Prisma configuration

  4. Configure the DATABASE_URL in .env to match your database.

  5. Add a data model in prisma/schema.prisma. For example, a User model:

    model User {
      id    String  @id @default(cuid())
      email String  @unique
      name  String?
    }

  6. Create and apply the first Prisma migration and generate the Prisma Client.

    Terminal window
    npx prisma migrate dev --name init
    npx prisma generate

  7. Add import 'dotenv/config'; to your src/main.ts file to ensure DATABASE_URL (environment variables process.env) is loaded.

    src/main.ts
    import 'dotenv/config';
    

    import { NestFactory } from '@nestjs/core';
    import { AppModule } from './app.module';
    

    async function bootstrap() {
      const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);
      await app.listen(process.env.PORT ?? 3000);
    }
    bootstrap();

Option 1: Use Library

Section titled “Option 1: Use Library”

The nestjs-prisma library simplifies the usage of Prisma within NestJS applications and provides additional features.

  1. Install dependencies

    Install nestjs-prisma:

    Terminal window
    npm install nestjs-prisma@0.28.0-dev.0

  2. Create Prisma Client Instance

    Create a prisma-client.ts file and create an instance of the Prisma Client.

    src/prisma-client.ts
    import { PrismaBetterSqlite3 } from '@prisma/adapter-better-sqlite3';
    import { Prisma, PrismaClient } from './generated/prisma/client';
    

    const adapter = new PrismaBetterSqlite3({ url: process.env.DATABASE_URL! });
    export const prismaClient = new PrismaClient({ adapter });
    

    export type BasePrismaClient = typeof prismaClient;

  3. Configure the Module

    Configure the PrismaModule in your AppModule imports and import prismaClient from prisma-client.ts.

    src/app.module.ts
    import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
    import { PrismaModule } from 'nestjs-prisma';
    import { prismaClient } from './prisma-client';
    

    @Module({
      imports: [
        PrismaModule.forRootAsync({
          isGlobal: true,
          name: 'PrismaService', // 👈 must be unique for each PrismaClient
          useFactory: () => {
            return prismaClient;
          },
        }),
      ],
    })
    export class AppModule {}

  4. Usage

    Inject PrismaService providing the BasePrismaClient type from step 2.

    src/app.service.ts
    import { Inject, Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
    import { PrismaService } from 'nestjs-prisma';
    import type { BasePrismaClient } from './prisma-client';
    

    @Injectable()
    export class AppService {
      constructor(
        @Inject('PrismaService') // 👈 use unique name to reference
        // Use `BasePrismaClient` for correct type-safety
        private prisma: PrismaService<BasePrismaClient>,
      ) {}
    

      users() {
        // access prisma.client.* for your queries
        return this.prisma.client.user.findMany();
      }
    }

Option 2: Copy Code

Section titled “Option 2: Copy Code”

If you prefer to manually integrate Prisma without an additional library, you can create your own PrismaService.

  1. Create Files

    Create src/prisma/ directory with prisma.module.ts and prisma.service.ts.

    • Directorysrc
      • Directoryprisma
        • prisma.module.ts
        • prisma.service.ts

  2. Prisma Service

    Add the following code to src/prisma/prisma.service.ts:

    src/prisma/prisma.service.ts
    import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
    import { PrismaBetterSqlite3 } from '@prisma/adapter-better-sqlite3';
    import { PrismaClient } from '../generated/prisma/client';
    

    @Injectable()
    export class PrismaService extends PrismaClient {
      constructor() {
        const adapter = new PrismaBetterSqlite3({ url: process.env.DATABASE_URL! });
        super({ adapter });
      }
    }

  3. Prisma Module

    Add the following code to src/prisma/prisma.module.ts:

    src/prisma/prisma.module.ts
    import { Global, Module } from '@nestjs/common';
    import { PrismaService } from './prisma.service';
    

    @Global()
    @Module({
      providers: [PrismaService],
      exports: [PrismaService],
    })
    export class PrismaModule {}

    And import PrismaModule in AppModule.

    src/app.module.ts
    import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
    import { PrismaModule } from './prisma/prisma.module';
    

    @Module({
     imports: [PrismaModule],
    })
    export class AppModule {}

  4. Usage

    Inject PrismaService into your controllers or services.

    src/app.service.ts
    @Injectable()
    export class AppService {
      constructor(private prisma: PrismaService) {}
    

      users() {
        // access prisma.* for your queries
        return this.prisma.user.findMany();
      }
    }