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Prisma Schema Architecture

Prisma schema structure with models, relations, multi-file schemas, migration workflow, and the Prisma Client generation pipeline.

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Prisma Schema Architecture

Prisma provides a declarative schema language that defines your data models, relations, and database configuration in a single source of truth. The Prisma Client is auto-generated from this schema, giving you a fully typed database client.

Schema Structure

A Prisma schema (schema.prisma) has three main blocks:

  1. datasource: Database provider and connection URL
  2. generator: Configures Prisma Client output
  3. model: Defines tables, columns, relations, and indexes
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

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

model User {
  id    Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
  email String @unique
  posts Post[]
}

Multi-File Schemas

Since Prisma 5.15, you can split your schema across multiple .prisma files using the prismaSchemaFolder preview feature. This keeps large schemas organized by domain.

Relations

Prisma supports one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many relations with explicit relation fields:

  • One-to-many: Post has authorId referencing User
  • Many-to-many: Prisma auto-creates join tables or you define them explicitly
  • Self-relations: A User can follow other User records

Migration Workflow

  1. Define/update your schema in .prisma files
  2. prisma migrate dev: Creates a migration SQL file and applies it to your dev database
  3. prisma generate: Regenerates the typed Prisma Client
  4. Use the client: Import and use the fully typed client in your application

Seeding

Define a seed.ts script and configure it in package.json. Run prisma db seed to populate your development database with test data.

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