# TanStack Start

## [Introduction](#introduction)

[TanStack Start](https://tanstack.com/start/latest/docs/framework/react/guide/server-functions) runs server functions alongside your React routes, which is where you call Prisma ORM to read from a [Prisma Postgres](https://www.prisma.io/postgres) database.

This guide shows you how to integrate Prisma ORM with a Prisma Postgres database in a TanStack Start project from scratch.

## [Quick start](#quick-start)

Run one command to scaffold a TanStack Start project with Prisma ORM and Prisma Postgres ready to go:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bunx create-prisma@stable --template tanstack-start
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm create prisma@stable --template tanstack-start
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn create prisma@stable --template tanstack-start
```

```bash title="npm"
npm create prisma@stable -- --template tanstack-start
```
:::

Or follow the steps below to set it up manually.

## [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)

- [Node.js 20+](https://nodejs.org/)

## [1. Set up your project](#1-set-up-your-project)

To begin, create a new TanStack Start project.

::::tabs
:::tab{title="bun"}
```
bun create @tanstack/start@latest
```
:::

:::tab{title="pnpm"}
```bash
pnpm create @tanstack/start@latest
```
:::

:::tab{title="yarn"}
```bash
yarn create @tanstack/start@latest
```
:::

:::tab{title="npm"}
```bash
npm create @tanstack/start@latest
```

> \[!NOTE]
>
> - _What would you like to name your project?_ tanstack-start-prisma
> - _Would you like to use Tailwind CSS?_ No
> - _Select Toolchain_ None
> - _Select deployment adapter_ Nitro
> - _What add-ons would you like for your project?_ Prisma
> - _Would you like any examples?_ No
> - _Prisma: Database Provider_ Prisma PostgresSQL

This will create a new folder called `tanstack-start-prisma` and provision a new Prisma Postgres database. At the end of the setup, the CLI will display the database connection string:

```
●  Database Connection
│
│    Connection String:
│
│    postgresql://username:password@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres
●
```

> \[!WARNING]
> The database is **temporary** and will be deleted after 24 hours. To keep it permanently, follow the claim link shown in the CLI output.

Navigate to your project directory:

```bash
cd tanstack-start-prisma
```

Then, add the connection string you copied to your `.env` file:

```bash title=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres"
```
:::
::::

:::callout{intent="note"}
- _What would you like to name your project?_ tanstack-start-prisma
- _Would you like to use Tailwind CSS?_ No
- _Select Toolchain_ None
- _Select deployment adapter_ Nitro
- _What add-ons would you like for your project?_ Prisma
- _Would you like any examples?_ No
- _Prisma: Database Provider_ Prisma PostgresSQL
:::

This will create a new folder called `tanstack-start-prisma` and provision a new Prisma Postgres database. At the end of the setup, the CLI will display the database connection string:

```
●  Database Connection

│

│    Connection String:

│

│    postgresql://username:password@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres

●
```

:::callout{intent="warning"}
The database is **temporary** and will be deleted after 24 hours. To keep it permanently, follow the claim link shown in the CLI output.
:::

Navigate to your project directory:

```
cd tanstack-start-prisma
```

Then, add the connection string you copied to your `.env` file:

```title=".env"
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://username:password@db.prisma.io:5432/postgres"
```

## [2. Configure Prisma](#2-configure-prisma)

### [2.1. Define your Prisma Schema](#21-define-your-prisma-schema)

In `schema.prisma`, the model for our todos is defined below the generator and datasource blocks:

```title="prisma/schema.prisma"
generator client {

  provider = "prisma-client"

  output   = "../app/generated/prisma"

}

datasource db {

  provider = "postgresql"

}

model Todo {

  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())

  title     String

  createdAt DateTime @default(now())

}
```

This creates a `Todo` model that will be pushed to the database

### [2.2. Run migrations and generate Prisma Client](#22-run-migrations-and-generate-prisma-client)

Now, run the following command to create the database tables:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bun run db:migrate --name init
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm run db:migrate --name init
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn db:migrate --name init
```

```bash title="npm"
npm run db:migrate -- --name init
```
:::

Generate the Prisma Client needed for the project:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bun run db:generate
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm run db:generate
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn db:generate
```

```bash title="npm"
npm run db:generate
```
:::

### [2.3. Seed the database](#23-seed-the-database)

Then seed the project with the `seed.ts` file in the `prisma/` directory:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bun run db:seed
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm run db:seed
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn db:seed
```

```bash title="npm"
npm run db:seed
```
:::

And open Prisma Studio to inspect your data:

:::code-group
```title="bun"
bun run db:studio
```

```bash title="pnpm"
pnpm run db:studio
```

```bash title="yarn"
yarn db:studio
```

```bash title="npm"
npm run db:studio
```
:::

## [3. Integrate Prisma into TanStack Start](#3-integrate-prisma-into-tanstack-start)

### [3.1 The Prisma Client](#31-the-prisma-client)

Instead of creating a new Prisma Client instance in each file, TanStack Start has a `db.ts` that creates a single instance that can be shared globally

```title="src/db.ts"
import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma/client.js";

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

const adapter = new PrismaPg({

  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL!,

});

declare global {

  var __prisma: PrismaClient | undefined;

}

export const prisma = globalThis.__prisma || new PrismaClient({ adapter });

if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") {

  globalThis.__prisma = prisma;

}
```

### [3.2 Fetch data on load](#32-fetch-data-on-load)

First, import the necessary modules. Then, create a server function using the [`createServerFn`](https://tanstack.com/start/latest/docs/framework/react/guide/server-functions) function. This function will fetch the data from the database using the `.findMany()` method

```title="src/routes/index.tsx"
import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";

import { createServerFn } from "@tanstack/react-start"; 

import { prisma } from '../db'; 

export const Route = createFileRoute("/")({

  component: Home,

});

const getTodos = createServerFn({ method: "GET" }).handler(async () => { 

  return prisma.todo.findMany(); 

}); 

function Home() {

  return (

    <div>

    </div>

  );

}
```

TanStack Start allows functions to run on load with loader functions in the [`createFileRoute`](https://tanstack.com/router/latest/docs/framework/react/api/router/createFileRouteFunction) function. Fetch the users and their posts on load with this code:

```title="app/routes/index.tsx"
import { createFileRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';

import { createServerFn } from '@tanstack/react-start';

import { prisma } from '../db';

export const Route = createFileRoute("/")({

  component: Home,

  loader: () => { 

    return getTodos(); 

  }, 

});

const getTodos = createServerFn({ method: "GET" }).handler(async () => {

  return prisma.todo.findMany();

});

function Home() {

  return (

    <div>

      <h1>Todos</h1>

    </div>

  );

}
```

Store the response from the loader in the main component using [`Route.useLoaderData()`](https://tanstack.com/router/latest/docs/framework/react/api/router/useLoaderDataHook):

```title="app/routes/index.tsx"
import { createServerFn } from "@tanstack/react-start";

import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";

import { prisma } from '../db';

export const Route = createFileRoute("/")({

  component: Home,

  loader: () => {

    return getTodos();

  },

});

const getTodos = createServerFn({ method: "GET" }).handler(async () => {

  return prisma.todo.findMany();

});

function Home() {

  const todos = Route.useLoaderData(); 

  return (

    <div>

      <h1>Todos</h1>

    </div>

  );

}
```

### [3.3 Display the todos](#33-display-the-todos)

Next, you'll update the home page to display the data retrieved from your database.

Map over the `todos` and display them in a list:

```title="app/routes/index.tsx"
import { createFileRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';

import { createServerFn } from '@tanstack/react-start';

import { prisma } from '../db';

export const Route = createFileRoute('/')({

  component: App,

  loader: () => getTodos(),

});

const getTodos = createServerFn({ method: 'GET' }).handler(async () => {

  return prisma.todo.findMany();

});

function App() {

  const todos = Route.useLoaderData();

  return (

    <div>

      <ul>

        {todos.map(todo => (

          <li key={todo.id}>{todo.title}</li>

        ))}

      </ul>

    </div>

  );

}
```

This setup will display the todos on your page, fetched directly from your database.

## [Next steps](#next-steps)

Your TanStack Start app now loads todos from a Prisma Postgres database through a server function. A few suggestions for what to do next:

- Expand your Prisma models to handle more complex data relationships.
- Implement additional CRUD operations.
- Check out [Prisma Postgres](https://www.prisma.io/postgres) to see how you can scale your application.

## [More info](#more-info)

- [Prisma ORM Documentation](/guides/introduction-7-v7)
- [TanStack Start Documentation](https://tanstack.com/start/latest/docs/framework/react/overview)

## 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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