Prisma Cli

# Prisma CLI Reference

Reference for Prisma ORM CLI commands. This skill provides guidance on command usage, options, and best practices for current Prisma ORM releases.

## Boundary: Platform and Compute

Do not confuse the stable ORM command (`prisma`) with the public-beta Platform package (`@prisma/cli`, binary `prisma-cli`). Use `prisma-compute` for Compute apps and workspace auth, and `prisma-postgres` for Platform projects and databases.

## When to Apply

Reference this skill when: - Setting up a new Prisma project (`prisma init`) - Generating Prisma Client (`prisma generate`) - Running database migrations (`prisma migrate`) - Managing database state (`prisma db push/pull`) - Using local development database (`prisma dev`) - Debugging Prisma issues (`prisma debug`) - Generating shell completions (`prisma complete`)

## Rule Categories by Priority

| Priority | Category | Impact | Prefix | |----------|----------|--------|--------| | 1 | Setup | HIGH | `init` | | 2 | Generation | HIGH | `generate` | | 3 | Development | HIGH | `dev` | | 4 | Database | HIGH | `db-` | | 5 | Migrations | CRITICAL | `migrate-` | | 6 | Utility | MEDIUM | `complete`, `studio`, `validate`, `format`, `debug`, `mcp` |

## Command Categories

| Category | Commands | Purpose | |----------|----------|---------| | Setup | `init` | Initialize a Prisma project | | Generation | `generate` | Generate Prisma Client | | Validation | `validate`, `format` | Schema validation and formatting | | Development | `dev` | Local Prisma Postgres for development | | Database | `db pull`, `db push`, `db seed`, `db execute` | Direct database operations | | Migrations | `migrate dev`, `migrate deploy`, `migrate reset`, `migrate status`, `migrate diff`, `migrate resolve` | Schema migrations | | Utility | `complete`, `studio`, `mcp`, `version`, `debug` | Shell, development, and AI tooling |

## Quick Reference

### Project Setup

```bash # Initialize new project (creates prisma/ folder and prisma.config.ts) prisma init

# Initialize with specific database prisma init --datasource-provider postgresql prisma init --datasource-provider mysql prisma init --datasource-provider sqlite

# Initialize with Prisma Postgres (cloud) prisma init --db

# Initialize with an example model prisma init --with-model

```

### Client Generation

```bash # Generate Prisma Client prisma generate

# Watch mode for development prisma generate --watch

# Generate specific generator only prisma generate --generator client ```

### Bun Runtime

When using Bun, always add the `--bun` flag so Prisma runs with the Bun runtime (otherwise it falls back to Node.js because of the CLI shebang):

```bash bunx --bun prisma init bunx --bun prisma generate ```

### Local Development Database

```bash # Start local Prisma Postgres prisma dev

# Start with specific name prisma dev --name myproject

# Start in background (detached) prisma dev --detach

# List all local instances prisma dev ls

# Stop instance prisma dev stop myproject

# Remove instance data prisma dev rm myproject ```

### Database Operations

```bash # Pull schema from existing database prisma db pull

# Push schema to database (no migrations) prisma db push

# Seed database prisma db seed

# Execute raw SQL prisma db execute --file ./script.sql ```

### Migrations (Development)

```bash # Create and apply migration prisma migrate dev

# Create migration with name prisma migrate dev --name add_users_table

# Create migration without applying prisma migrate dev --create-only

# Reset database and apply all migrations prisma migrate reset ```

### Migrations (Production)

```bash # Apply pending migrations (CI/CD) prisma migrate deploy

# Check migration status prisma migrate status

# Compare schemas and generate diff prisma migrate diff --from-config-datasource --to-schema schema.prisma --script ```

### Utility Commands

```bash # Open Prisma Studio (database GUI) prisma studio

# Start Prisma's MCP server for AI tools prisma mcp

# Show version info prisma version prisma -v

# Debug information prisma debug

# Validate schema prisma validate

# Format schema prisma format

# Generate shell completion code prisma complete zsh ```

## AI Safety Checkpoint

Prisma blocks destructive commands when it detects an AI agent until the agent has obtained explicit user consent. This covers `migrate reset`, `db push --force-reset`, and `db push --accept-data-loss`.

- Explain the exact data-loss impact and ask for consent immediately before running the command. - Do not infer consent from earlier or unrelated messages. - If automation needs the consent variable, set `PRISMA_USER_CONSENT_FOR_DANGEROUS_AI_ACTION` to the user's exact consent message. Do not invent the text. - The Prisma MCP server deliberately has no `migrate-reset` tool.

Read `references/agent-safety.md` before any destructive Prisma command.

## Current Prisma CLI Setup

### New Configuration File

Use `prisma.config.ts` for CLI configuration:

```typescript import 'do