# PostgreSQL

Prisma ORM supports PostgreSQL and PostgreSQL-compatible databases including self-hosted PostgreSQL, serverless providers (Neon, Supabase), and CockroachDB.

## [Setup](#setup)

Configure the provider in your Prisma schema:

```title="schema.prisma"
datasource db {

  provider = "postgresql" // or "cockroachdb" for CockroachDB

}
```

**Self-hosted PostgreSQL:**

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

export default defineConfig({

  schema: "prisma/schema.prisma",

  datasource: {

    url: env("DATABASE_URL"), // postgres://user:pass@host:5432/db

  },

});
```

**Serverless (Neon/Supabase):**

Use separate URLs for CLI (direct) and runtime (pooled):

```title=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgres://user:pass@host-pooler:6543/db?pgbouncer=true"

DIRECT_URL="postgres://user:pass@host:5432/db"
```

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

export default defineConfig({

  schema: "prisma/schema.prisma",

  datasource: {

    url: env("DIRECT_URL"), // CLI uses direct connection

  },

});
```

## [Using driver adapters](#using-driver-adapters)

Use JavaScript database drivers via [driver adapters](/guides/core-concepts-v7-supported-databases-database-drivers#driver-adapters):

**Standard PostgreSQL with `pg`:**

::::tabs
:::tab{title="bun"}
```
bun add @prisma/adapter-pg
```
:::

:::tab{title="pnpm"}
```bash
pnpm add @prisma/adapter-pg
```
:::

:::tab{title="yarn"}
```bash
yarn add @prisma/adapter-pg
```
:::

:::tab{title="npm"}
```bash
npm install @prisma/adapter-pg
```

```ts
import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg";
import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma";

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

`DATABASE_URL` has to be set in the process environment when this code runs. Node.js does not read `.env` files on its own, so install `dotenv` and add `import "dotenv/config";` at the top of your entry file, or start Node with its [`--env-file`](https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#--env-filefile) flag. If the variable is missing, `pg` gets no connection string and falls back to its defaults, and the usual symptom is `SASL: SCRAM-SERVER-FIRST-MESSAGE: client password must be a string`.

**Neon serverless:**
:::
::::

```
import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg";

import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma";

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

const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter });
```

`DATABASE_URL` has to be set in the process environment when this code runs. Node.js does not read `.env` files on its own, so install `dotenv` and add `import "dotenv/config";` at the top of your entry file, or start Node with its [`--env-file`](https://nodejs.org/api/cli.html#--env-filefile) flag. If the variable is missing, `pg` gets no connection string and falls back to its defaults, and the usual symptom is `SASL: SCRAM-SERVER-FIRST-MESSAGE: client password must be a string`.

**Neon serverless:**

::::tabs
:::tab{title="bun"}
```
bun add @prisma/adapter-neon
```
:::

:::tab{title="pnpm"}
```bash
pnpm add @prisma/adapter-neon
```
:::

:::tab{title="yarn"}
```bash
yarn add @prisma/adapter-neon
```
:::

:::tab{title="npm"}
```bash
npm install @prisma/adapter-neon
```

```ts
import { PrismaNeon } from "@prisma/adapter-neon";
import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma";

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

```
import { PrismaNeon } from "@prisma/adapter-neon";

import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma";

const adapter = new PrismaNeon({ connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL });

const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter });
```

## [Supported variants](#supported-variants)

### [Self-hosted PostgreSQL](#self-hosted-postgresql)

Standard PostgreSQL server (9.6+).

- Connection URL: `postgresql://user:pass@host:5432/database`
- Full Prisma Migrate support
- Use `prisma migrate dev` for development
- TLS/SSL configuration via connection string parameters

**Connection string arguments:**

| Argument          | Default  | Description                                     |
| ----------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `schema`          | `public` | PostgreSQL schema to use                        |
| `connect_timeout` | `5`      | Seconds to wait for connection (0 = no timeout) |
| `sslmode`         | `prefer` | TLS mode: `prefer`, `disable`, `require`        |
| `sslcert`         |          | Path to server certificate                      |
| `sslidentity`     |          | Path to PKCS12 certificate                      |

### [Neon](#neon)

Serverless PostgreSQL with automatic scaling and branching.

- Connection URL: `postgres://user:pass@host-pooler.region.aws.neon.tech:5432/db`
- Add `-pooler` to hostname for connection pooling (PgBouncer, 10k connections)
- Compute scales to zero after 5 minutes inactivity
- Cold start: 500ms - few seconds
- Database branching for development workflows

**Timeout configuration:** Configure connection and pool timeouts via your [driver adapter](/guides/prisma-client-v7-setup-and-configuration-databases-connections-connection-pool) (e.g. `connectionTimeoutMillis` for `pg`).

**Resources:** [Neon docs](https://neon.tech/docs) • [Connection pooling](https://neon.tech/docs/connect/connection-pooling)

### [Supabase](#supabase)

PostgreSQL hosting with built-in auth, storage, and real-time features.

**Connection types:**

- **Direct:** `db.[project-ref].supabase.co:5432`
- **Transaction pooler:** Port `6543` with `?pgbouncer=true`
- **Session pooler:** Port `5432` on pooler host

**Key features:**

- Supavisor connection pooling
- Built-in PostgreSQL extensions
- Integrated with Supabase ecosystem
- Automated backups

**Resources:** [Supabase docs](https://supabase.com/docs) • [Prisma integration](https://supabase.com/partners/integrations/prisma)

### [CockroachDB](#cockroachdb)

Distributed, PostgreSQL-compatible database designed for scalability and high availability.

- Use `provider = "cockroachdb"` in schema
- Connection URL: `postgresql://user:pass@host:26257/database`
- Built-in replication and automated failover
- Horizontal scaling with no single point of failure

**Key differences:**

| Feature        | PostgreSQL        | CockroachDB                           |
| -------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| Native types   | `VARCHAR(n)`      | `STRING(n)`                           |
| ID generation  | `autoincrement()` | Uses `unique_rowid()`                 |
| Sequential IDs | Recommended       | Avoid (use `autoincrement()` instead) |

**ID generation example:**

```
model User {

  id   BigInt @id @default(autoincrement()) // Uses unique_rowid()

  name String

}
```

For compatibility with existing databases, use `sequence()`:

```
model User {

  id   Int    @id @default(sequence())

  name String

}
```

**Resources:** [CockroachDB docs](https://www.cockroachlabs.com/docs/) • [Primary key best practices](https://www.cockroachlabs.com/docs/stable/schema-design-table#primary-key-best-practices)

## [Type mappings](#type-mappings)

### [Prisma to PostgreSQL](#prisma-to-postgresql)

| Prisma     | PostgreSQL         | CockroachDB |
| ---------- | ------------------ | ----------- |
| `String`   | `text`             | `STRING`    |
| `Boolean`  | `boolean`          | `BOOL`      |
| `Int`      | `integer`          | `INT4`      |
| `BigInt`   | `bigint`           | `INT8`      |
| `Float`    | `double precision` | `FLOAT8`    |
| `Decimal`  | `decimal(65,30)`   | `DECIMAL`   |
| `DateTime` | `timestamp(3)`     | `TIMESTAMP` |
| `Json`     | `jsonb`            | `JSONB`     |
| `Bytes`    | `bytea`            | `BYTES`     |

See [full type mapping reference](/guides/reference-6-v7-reference-prisma-schema-reference#model-field-scalar-types) for complete details.

## [Common patterns](#common-patterns)

**SSL connections:**

```
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@host:5432/db?sslmode=require&sslcert=./cert.pem"
```

- `sslmode=prefer` (default) - Use TLS if available
- `sslmode=require` - Require TLS or fail
- `sslmode=disable` - No TLS

**Socket connections:**

```
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@localhost/db?host=/var/run/postgresql/"
```

**Specifying schema with driver adapters:**

```
const adapter = new PrismaPg(

  { connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL },

  { schema: "mySchema" }

);
```

**Connection pool defaults (Prisma ORM v7):**

Driver adapters use `pg` defaults which differ from v6:

- **Connection timeout:** `0` (no timeout) vs v6's `5s`
- **Idle timeout:** `10s` vs v6's `300s`

See [connection pool guide](/guides/prisma-client-v7-setup-and-configuration-databases-connections-connection-pool#postgresql-using-the-pg-driver-adapter) for configuration.

## 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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