Learn how to use Prisma ORM with Supabase PostgreSQL

Location: ORM > v6 > Core Concepts > Supported databases > Supabase

This guide discusses the concepts behind using Prisma ORM and Supabase, explains the commonalities and differences between Supabase and other database providers, and leads you through the process for configuring your application to integrate with Supabase.

## What is Supabase?

[Supabase](https://supabase.com/) is a PostgreSQL hosting service and open source Firebase alternative. Unlike Firebase, Supabase is backed by PostgreSQL, which you can access directly using Prisma ORM.

To learn more about Supabase, you can check out their architecture in [the Supabase architecture guide](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/getting-started/architecture) and features in [the Supabase feature overview](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/getting-started/features)

## Commonalities with other database providers

Many aspects of using Prisma ORM with Supabase are just like using Prisma ORM with any other relational database. You can still:

- Model your database with the [Prisma Schema Language](/guides/prisma-schema-v6-overview)
- Use Prisma ORM's existing [`postgresql` database connector](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-postgresql) in your schema, along with the [connection string Supabase provides you](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/database/connecting-to-postgres#connecting-to-external-libraries-and-tools)
- Use [Introspection](/guides/prisma-schema-v6-introspection) for existing projects if you already have a database schema in Supabase
- Use [`db push`](/guides/prisma-migrate-v6-workflows-prototyping-your-schema) to push changes in your schema to Supabase
- Use [Prisma Client](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-introduction) in your application to talk to the database server at Supabase

## Specific considerations

If you'd like to use the [connection pooling feature](https://supabase.com/docs/guides/database/connecting-to-postgres#connection-pooling-in-depth) available with Supabase, you will need to use the connection pooling connection string available via your [Supabase database settings](https://supabase.com/dashboard/project/_/settings/database) with `?pgbouncer=true` appended to the end of the environment variable that Prisma Client reads when you instantiate it with a driver adapter:

```bash title=".env"
# Connect to Supabase via connection pooling with Supavisor.
DATABASE_URL="postgres://postgres.[your-supabase-project]:[password]@aws-0-[aws-region].pooler.supabase.com:6543/postgres?pgbouncer=true"
```

Supabase provides three types of connection strings for each database:

1. **Direct Database Connection string** – `postgresql://postgres:password@db.[your-project-ref].supabase.co:5432/postgres`

2. **Transaction Pooler Connection string** – `postgresql://postgres.[your-project-ref]:password@aws-0-[region].pooler.supabase.com:6543/postgres`

3. **Session Pooler Connection string** – `postgresql://postgres.[your-project-ref]:password@aws-0-[region].pooler.supabase.com:5432/postgres`

Prisma CLI commands (for example, migrations and introspection) now read the direct, non-pooled connection string from `prisma.config.ts`. Configure two environment variables — the pooled connection string for Prisma Client (`DATABASE_URL`) and a direct connection string for the Prisma CLI (`DIRECT_URL`):

```bash title=".env"
# Connect to Supabase via connection pooling with Supavisor.
DATABASE_URL="postgres://postgres.[your-supabase-project]:[password]@aws-0-[aws-region].pooler.supabase.com:6543/postgres?pgbouncer=true"

# Direct connection to the database used by the Prisma CLI. # [!code ++]
DIRECT_URL="postgres://postgres.[your-supabase-project]:[password]@aws-0-[aws-region].pooler.supabase.com:5432/postgres" # [!code ++]
# or # [!code ++]
DIRECT_URL="postgresql://postgres:password@db.[your-project-ref].supabase.co:5432/postgres" # [!code ++]
```

Point `prisma.config.ts` to the direct connection string:

```ts title="prisma.config.ts" showLineNumbers
import "dotenv/config";
import { defineConfig, env } from "prisma/config";

export default defineConfig({
  schema: "prisma/schema.prisma",
  datasource: {
    url: env("DIRECT_URL"),
  },
});
```

At runtime, instantiate Prisma Client with a driver adapter using the pooled `DATABASE_URL`. This keeps the direct connection string scoped to Prisma CLI workflows while your application connections continue to flow through Supavisor.

```ts title="src/db/client.ts" showLineNumbers
import { PrismaClient } from "../prisma/generated/client";
import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg";

const adapter = new PrismaPg({ connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL });
export const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter });
```

> \[!NOTE]
> We strongly recommend using connection pooling with Supavisor in addition to `DIRECT_URL`. The Prisma CLI keeps using the direct connection string from `prisma.config.ts`, while your application's connections are pooled regardless of your deployment strategy. While this is not strictly necessary for every app, serverless solutions will inevitably require connection pooling.

## Getting started with Supabase

Supabase has a guide for connecting a Supabase database to your Prisma project in [Supabase's Prisma integration guide](https://supabase.com/partners/integrations/prisma).

If you're running into issues integrating with Supabase, check out these [specific troubleshooting tips](https://supabase.com/partners/integrations/prisma) or [Prisma's GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/prisma/orm/discussions) for more help.

## Related pages

- [`Cloudflare D1`](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-cloudflare-d1): Guide to Cloudflare D1
- [`CockroachDB`](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-cockroachdb): Guide to CockroachDB
- [`Database drivers`](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-database-drivers): Learn how Prisma connects to your database using the built-in drivers and how you can use Prisma along with other JavaScript database drivers using driver adapters (Preview)
- [`Microsoft SQL Server`](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-sql-server): This page explains how Prisma can connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database using the Microsoft SQL Server database connector.
- [`MySQL/MariaDB`](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-mysql): This page explains how Prisma can connect to a MySQL or MariaDB database using the MySQL database connector.

## Related pages

- [Authentication & Tools](./authentication-tools-index.md)
- [Build](./build-index.md)
- [Changelog](../changelog.md)
- [Concepts](./concepts-index.md)
- [Console commands](./console-commands-index.md)
- [Contract Authoring](./contract-authoring-index.md)
- [Core Concepts](./core-concepts-index.md)
- [Data Modeling](./data-modeling-index.md)
- [Database](./database-index.md)
- [DB commands](./db-commands-index.md)

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