What is Prisma?

Prisma is the dominant TypeScript ORM in 2026, used by most Next.js production apps. You declare your data model in a `schema.prisma` file using a clean declarative syntax; Prisma generates a fully-typed client and handles migrations. Query patterns: `prisma.user.findUnique({ where: { id }, select: { name: true } })` — the return type narrows automatically based on your `select`. Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, SQL Server, MongoDB, and CockroachDB. Prisma Studio (a built-in GUI at `npx prisma studio`) is the easiest way to inspect/edit data during development. Pros: best-in-class TypeScript inference, mature migrations, large community. Cons: ORM overhead can be noticeable on high-cardinality queries (most Next.js apps will never feel this), some N+1 queries until you learn the includes pattern, adds ~10-20 MB to your serverless bundle. For most SaaS use cases in 2026, Prisma is the right default; alternatives like Drizzle ORM and Kysely fit specific perf-sensitive niches.