Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we manage data in full-stack applications. It’s one of those challenges that can either slow you down or become a superpower—depending on your tools. That’s why I want to talk about using Next.js with Prisma. If you’ve ever felt bogged down by database setup, manual type definitions, or writing repetitive SQL queries, this integration might just change how you build.

Next.js gives us a solid foundation for both frontend and backend logic, all within a single framework. But where does the data come from? That’s where Prisma steps in. It acts as a type-safe bridge to your database, letting you interact with your data using clean, intuitive JavaScript—no raw SQL strings unless you want them.

Setting up Prisma in a Next.js project is straightforward. Start by installing the Prisma CLI and initializing it:

npm install prisma --save-dev
npx prisma init

This creates a prisma directory with a schema.prisma file. Here, you define your data model. Let’s say we’re building a blog. Your schema might look like this:

model Post {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  title     String
  content   String?
  published Boolean  @default(false)
  author    User     @relation(fields: [authorId], references: [id])
  authorId  Int
}

model User {
  id    Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
  name  String
  email String @unique
  posts Post[]
}

After defining your models, run npx prisma generate to create your TypeScript client. Now, you’re ready to query your database from anywhere in your Next.js app.

But where should you actually use Prisma? In Next.js, API routes are a natural fit. Here’s an example of fetching all published posts:

// pages/api/posts/index.ts
import { NextApiRequest, NextApiResponse } from 'next'
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client'

const prisma = new PrismaClient()

export default async function handler(req: NextApiRequest, res: NextApiResponse) {
  const posts = await prisma.post.findMany({
    where: { published: true },
    include: { author: true },
  })
  res.status(200).json(posts)
}

Notice how we’re using include to also fetch related author data? That’s the power of Prisma’s relation queries. And because everything is typed, you’ll get autocomplete suggestions and error checking right in your editor.

What about using Prisma in server-side rendered pages? Absolutely. In getServerSideProps or getStaticProps, you can fetch data directly:

export async function getStaticProps() {
  const posts = await prisma.post.findMany({
    where: { published: true },
  })
  return { props: { posts } }
}

This approach is efficient and keeps your data-fetching logic close to where it’s used. But here’s a question: how do you handle database connections in a serverless environment like Vercel, where functions scale dynamically? Prisma Client is designed to manage connection pooling efficiently, so you don’t have to worry about opening and closing connections manually.

One thing I appreciate about this setup is how it encourages good practices. With TypeScript, you catch errors early. With Prisma, you avoid common SQL pitfalls. And with Next.js, you get flexibility in rendering—static, server-side, or client-side. It’s a stack that grows with your project.

So, whether you’re prototyping an idea or building something meant to scale, combining Next.js and Prisma can streamline your workflow. You write less boilerplate, reduce potential errors, and ship faster.

Have you tried this combination in your projects? What was your experience? Let me know in the comments—and if you found this useful, please like and share!