API patterns

Source URL: https://docs.prisma.io/docs/orm/core-concepts/api-patterns

API patterns

How to use Prisma ORM with REST APIs, GraphQL servers, and fullstack frameworks

Prisma Client can be used to query your database from any server-side JavaScript or TypeScript application. This page covers common patterns for REST APIs, GraphQL servers, and fullstack frameworks.

REST APIs

When building REST APIs, use Prisma Client inside your route controllers to execute database queries.

• Supported frameworks

  • Express
  • Fastify
  • hapi
  • koa
  • NestJS
  • Next.js API Routes

• Example routes

    // GET /feed - fetch published posts
    app.get("/feed", async (req, res) => {
      const posts = await prisma.post.findMany({
        where: { published: true },
        include: { author: true },
      });
      res.json(posts);
    });

    // POST /post - create a post
    app.post("/post", async (req, res) => {
      const { title, content, authorEmail } = req.body;
      const result = await prisma.post.create({
        data: {
          title,
          content,
          author: { connect: { email: authorEmail } },
        },
      });
      res.json(result);
    });

    // PUT /publish/:id - publish a post
    app.put("/publish/:id", async (req, res) => {
      const post = await prisma.post.update({
        where: { id: Number(req.params.id) },
        data: { published: true },
      });
      res.json(post);
    });

    // DELETE /post/:id - delete a post
    app.delete("/post/:id", async (req, res) => {
      const post = await prisma.post.delete({
        where: { id: Number(req.params.id) },
      });
      res.json(post);
    });

GraphQL

Prisma ORM works with any GraphQL library. Use Prisma Client inside your resolvers to read and write data.

• Supported tools

Library	Purpose
graphql-yoga	HTTP server
apollo-server	HTTP server
pothos	Schema builder
nexus	Schema builder
type-graphql	Schema builder

• Framework integrations

  • Redwood.js - Built on Prisma ORM

• Prisma’s role

Prisma ORM is used inside GraphQL resolvers the same way you’d use any other ORM:

• Queries : Read data from the database to return in the response
• Mutations : Write data to the database (create, update, delete)

Fullstack frameworks

Modern fullstack frameworks blur server/client boundaries. Use Prisma Client in the server-side portion of your application.

• Supported frameworks

  • Next.js
  • Remix
  • SvelteKit
  • Nuxt
  • Redwood
  • Wasp

• Supported runtimes

  • Node.js
  • Bun
  • Deno

• Next.js example

    // In getServerSideProps or API routes
    export const getServerSideProps = async () => {
      const feed = await prisma.post.findMany({
        where: { published: true },
      });
      return { props: { feed } };
    };

Example projects

Find ready-to-run examples in the prisma-examples repository:

Example	Type	Description
Next.js	Fullstack	Next.js 15 app
Express	REST	Express REST API
Fastify	REST	Fastify REST API
GraphQL Yoga	GraphQL	GraphQL server with Pothos
NestJS	REST	NestJS REST API
Remix	Fullstack	Remix with actions and loaders
SvelteKit	Fullstack	SvelteKit app