# format (Prisma CLI v7) (/docs/cli/v7/format)

Format and validate your Prisma schema file with consistent structure

Location: CLI > v7 > format

The `prisma format` command formats your Prisma schema file. It validates, formats, and persists the schema.

## Usage

```bash
prisma format [options]
```

## Options

| Option         | Description                            |
| -------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| `-h`, `--help` | Display help message                   |
| `--config`     | Custom path to your Prisma config file |
| `--schema`     | Custom path to your Prisma schema      |

## Examples

### Format the default schema

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma format
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma format
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma format
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma format
```

Output on success:

```text
Environment variables loaded from .env
Prisma schema loaded from prisma/schema.prisma
Formatted prisma/schema.prisma in 116ms
```

### Format a specific schema

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma format --schema=./alternative/schema.prisma
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma format --schema=./alternative/schema.prisma
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma format --schema=./alternative/schema.prisma
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma format --schema=./alternative/schema.prisma
```

## Error output

If the schema has validation errors, formatting will fail:

```text
Environment variables loaded from .env
Prisma schema loaded from prisma/schema.prisma
Error: Schema validation error - Error (query-engine-node-api library)
Error code: P1012
error: The preview feature "unknownFeatureFlag" is not known. Expected one of: [...]
  schema.prisma:3
   |
 2 |     provider        = "prisma-client"
 3 |     previewFeatures = ["unknownFeatureFlag"]
   |

Validation Error Count: 1
```

## Related pages

- [`db`](/guides/db-commands-db): Manage your database schema and lifecycle during development
- [`debug`](/guides/standalone-commands-debug): Display Prisma debug information including schema paths, engine binaries, environment variables, and cache directories for troubleshooting
- [`dev`](/guides/dev-commands-dev): Start a local Prisma Postgres server for development
- [`generate`](/guides/standalone-commands-generate): Generate artifacts like Prisma Client based on your Prisma schema
- [`init`](/guides/standalone-commands-init): Set up a new Prisma project in the current directory

## 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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