# Introduction to Prisma Client (Prisma ORM v6) (/docs/orm/v6/prisma-client/setup-and-configuration/introduction)

Learn how to set up Prisma Client.

Location: ORM > v6 > Prisma Client > Setup and Configuration > Introduction to Prisma Client

Prisma Client is an auto-generated and type-safe query builder that's _tailored\* to your data. To get started with Prisma Client, follow the \*_[Quickstart](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-quickstart-sqlite)\*\*.

[⭐ Quickstart (5 min)](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-quickstart-sqlite)

The setup instructions [below](#set-up) provide a high-level overview of the steps needed to set up Prisma Client. If you want to get started using Prisma Client with your own database, follow one of these guides:

[🚀 Set up a new project from scratch](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-quickstart-postgresql)

[➕ Add Prisma to an existing project](/guides/prisma-orm-2-v7-prisma-orm-add-to-existing-project-postgresql)

## Set up

### 1. Prerequisites

In order to set up Prisma Client, you need a [Prisma schema file](/guides/prisma-schema-v6-overview) with your database connection, the Prisma Client generator, and at least one model:

```prisma title="schema.prisma"
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
}

generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../src/generated/prisma"
}

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

Also make sure to [install the Prisma CLI](/guides/more-4-v6-tools-prisma-cli#installation):

#### bun

```bash
bun add prisma@6.19.3 --dev
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm add prisma@6.19.3 --save-dev
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn add prisma@6.19.3 --dev
```

#### npm

```bash
npm install prisma@6.19.3 --save-dev
```

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma
```

### 2. Installation

Install Prisma Client in your project with the following command:

#### bun

```bash
bun add @prisma/client@6.19.3
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm add @prisma/client@6.19.3
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn add @prisma/client@6.19.3
```

#### npm

```bash
npm install @prisma/client@6.19.3
```

### 3. Importing Prisma Client

There are multiple ways to import Prisma Client in your project depending on your use case:

#### TypeScript

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

const prisma = new PrismaClient();
// use `prisma` in your application to read and write data in your DB
```

#### JavaScript

```js
const { PrismaClient } = require("./generated/prisma");

const prisma = new PrismaClient();
// use `prisma` in your application to read and write data in your DB
```

For edge environments, you can import Prisma Client as follows:

#### TypeScript

```ts
import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/prisma/edge";

const prisma = new PrismaClient();
// use `prisma` in your application to read and write data in your DB
```

#### JavaScript

```js
const { PrismaClient } = require("./generated/prisma/edge");

const prisma = new PrismaClient();
// use `prisma` in your application to read and write data in your DB
```

> **Note**: If you're using [driver adapters](/guides/core-concepts-v6-overview-databases-database-drivers#driver-adapters), you can import from the location specified in your generator's `output` path directly, e.g. `./src/generated/prisma`. No need to import from `./src/generated/prisma/edge`.

### 4. Use Prisma Client to send queries to your database

Once you have instantiated `PrismaClient`, you can start sending queries in your code:

```ts
// run inside `async` function
const newUser = await prisma.user.create({
  data: {
    name: "Alice",
    email: "alice@prisma.io",
  },
});

const users = await prisma.user.findMany();
```

> \[!NOTE]
> All Prisma Client methods return an instance of [`PrismaPromise`](/guides/reference-6-v6-reference-prisma-client-reference#prismapromise-behavior) which only executes when you call `await` or `.then()` or `.catch()`.

### 5. Evolving your application

Whenever you make changes to your database that are reflected in the Prisma schema, you need to manually re-generate Prisma Client to update the generated code in your output directory:

```
prisma generate
```

## Related pages

- [`Configuring error formatting`](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-error-formatting): This page explains how to configure the formatting of errors when using Prisma Client.
- [`Custom model and field names`](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-custom-model-and-field-names): Learn how you can decouple the naming of Prisma models from database tables to improve the ergonomics of the generated Prisma Client API.
- [`Database connections`](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-databases-connections): Databases connections
- [`Database polyfills`](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-database-polyfills): Prisma Client provides features that are not achievable with relational databases. These features are referred to as "polyfills" and explained on this page.
- [`Generating Prisma Client`](/guides/prisma-client-v6-setup-and-configuration-generating-prisma-client): This page explains how to generate Prisma Client. It also provides additional context on the generated client, typical workflows and Node.js 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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