Database Configuration

Configure PostgreSQL and Prisma ORM for type-safe database operations in the Next.js Prisma SaaS Kit.

The MakerKit Next.js Prisma SaaS Kit uses PostgreSQL with Prisma ORM for type-safe database operations. This stack provides ACID compliance, full TypeScript inference, and built-in migration management. PostgreSQL handles relational data at scale while Prisma generates type-safe queries from your schema.

Prisma ORM is a TypeScript-first database toolkit that generates type-safe client code from your schema definition. It replaces raw SQL with auto-completed, type-checked queries.

Database Configuration

Configure and use the database layer in MakerKit.

1

Prisma Configuration

2

Database Schema

3

Migrations

4

Client Usage

5

Rate Limit Service

Technology Stack

ComponentDescription
PostgreSQL 17Robust relational database with JSON support, full-text search, and extensions
Prisma ORM 6.xTypeScript-first ORM with full type inference and auto-generated client
Prisma MigrateVersion-controlled schema migrations stored as SQL files

Why This Stack?

We chose PostgreSQL over MySQL for its native JSON operators and full-text search capabilities. Prisma won over Drizzle because Better Auth ships with Prisma adapters, which reduces integration friction significantly.

PostgreSQL

  • Reliable: Battle-tested, ACID-compliant for financial and user data
  • Scalable: Handles millions of rows with proper indexing
  • Feature-rich: Native JSON, full-text search, and extensions like pgvector
  • Well-supported: Hosted options include Neon, Supabase, and Railway

Prisma ORM

  • Type-safe: Full TypeScript inference from your schema
  • Intuitive: Declarative data modeling with relations
  • Great DX: Autocomplete, readable errors, and Prisma Studio GUI
  • Powerful: Relations, filtering, aggregations, and transactions

Decision Rules

Use PostgreSQL when:

  • You need relational data with foreign keys and referential integrity
  • ACID compliance matters (user accounts, billing, audit logs)
  • You want JSON support alongside structured relational data
  • You need a battle-tested database with extensive hosting options

Consider alternatives when:

  • You need global edge distribution (consider CockroachDB or PlanetScale)
  • You're building a read-heavy analytics system (consider ClickHouse)
  • Your data is primarily document-based (consider MongoDB with Prisma)

If unsure: Start with PostgreSQL. It covers 95% of SaaS use cases, and MakerKit is optimized for it.

Common Pitfalls

  • Using SQLite for development - Behavior differs from PostgreSQL; use Docker or a hosted PostgreSQL instance for development parity
  • Skipping connection pooling - Prisma's default connection limit can exhaust database connections; configure connection_limit in DATABASE_URL for production
  • Ignoring query performance - Use prisma.$queryRaw for complex queries and add indexes for frequently filtered columns
  • Not running migrations in CI - Test migrations in CI before deploying to catch schema conflicts early
  • Forgetting to regenerate client - After schema changes, always run prisma:generate then pnpm i to update types

Next: Prisma Configuration →