Choice of ORM for your Next NodeJS Project: Prisma or TypeORM

Database operations are central to backend development. While SQL handles database interactions directly, ORMs act as translators, letting developers work with databases using familiar programming concepts instead of writing SQL queries. For NodeJS applications, Prisma and TypeORM stand out as popular open-source choices. TypeORM appeared in 2016 as one of the first hashtag#TypeScript-compatible database tools, supporting multiple database systems while giving developers detailed control over database operations. Prisma, launched in 2019, took a different approach with a simple schema language that automatically generates code for database operations, reducing the amount of code needed while improving error checking. I personally find Prisma more developer-friendly despite TypeORM's flexibility for complex operations. Prisma's straightforward approach to data models has made my development faster and less error-prone. What has your experience been with these tools? Have you tried either in your projects? I'd love to hear which one you prefer and why in the comments below. Relevant links to read more https://www.prisma.io/ https://typeorm.io/

Apr 21, 2025 - 01:06

Choice of ORM for your Next NodeJS Project: Prisma or TypeORM

Database operations are central to backend development. While SQL handles database interactions directly, ORMs act as translators, letting developers work with databases using familiar programming concepts instead of writing SQL queries. For NodeJS applications, Prisma and TypeORM stand out as popular open-source choices.

TypeORM appeared in 2016 as one of the first hashtag#TypeScript-compatible database tools, supporting multiple database systems while giving developers detailed control over database operations. Prisma, launched in 2019, took a different approach with a simple schema language that automatically generates code for database operations, reducing the amount of code needed while improving error checking.

I personally find Prisma more developer-friendly despite TypeORM's flexibility for complex operations. Prisma's straightforward approach to data models has made my development faster and less error-prone.

What has your experience been with these tools? Have you tried either in your projects? I'd love to hear which one you prefer and why in the comments below.

Relevant links to read more
https://www.prisma.io/
https://typeorm.io/