Setting Up Prisma with PostgreSQL in Node.js: A Practical Guide

Are you ready to supercharge your Node.js application with a powerful database setup? Today, we’ll walk through setting up Prisma with PostgreSQL - a combination that’s becoming increasingly popular among developers for its type safety and intuitive query building.

Prerequisites

Before we dive in, make sure you have:

• Node.js installed on your system
• PostgreSQL server running locally
• Basic understanding of JavaScript/Node.js

Getting Started

First, let’s create a new Node.js project:

mkdir prisma-postgres-demo
cd prisma-postgres-demo
npm init -y

Installing Dependencies

Let’s install the necessary packages:

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

Initializing Prisma

Initialize Prisma in your project:

npx prisma init

Setting Up Database Connection

Update your .env file with your PostgreSQL connection URL:

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@localhost:5432/mydb?schema=public"

Creating Your First Model

In your schema.prisma file, define your first model:

model User {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  email     String   @unique
  name      String?
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())
}

Migrating Your Database

Run your first migration:

npx prisma migrate dev --name init

Using Prisma Client

Create a new file index.js:

const { PrismaClient } = require('@prisma/client')
const prisma = new PrismaClient()

async function main() {
  const user = await prisma.user.create({
    data: {
      email: 'test@example.com',
      name: 'Test User'
    }
  })
  console.log(user)
}

main()
  .catch(e => console.error(e))
  .finally(async () => await prisma.$disconnect())

And that’s it! You now have a fully functional Prisma setup with PostgreSQL in your Node.js application. Start building your next great project with confidence!