Introducing Create-Prisma: Start a Prisma App With One Command

create-prisma is a new CLI that creates an app with Prisma set up, including a starter schema, seed data, database scripts, and optional Prisma Postgres setup.

Starting a new app should be quick.

You know what you want to build, so you pick a framework and a database, but before you can work on the app itself you still need to set up Prisma, add a schema, add database scripts, create a seed file, set DATABASE_URL, generate Prisma Client, and run a migration.

Today, we're introducing create-prisma, a CLI that creates a new app with Prisma already set up.

npm create prisma@latest

Pick a template, pick a database, and start with a working Prisma app.

Why we built it

Prisma setup is simple, but every framework is a little different.

Next.js, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Hono, NestJS, TanStack Start, and Turborepo do not all put Prisma files in the same place. Some apps need a Prisma client helper in src/lib. Some need it in a server folder. A monorepo may need Prisma in a shared package.

create-prisma handles those details for you.

Create a Hono API with PostgreSQL:

npm create prisma@latest --name my-api --template hono --provider postgresql
cd my-api
npm run dev

Or create a Turborepo where Prisma lives in a shared database package:

npm create prisma@latest --name my-monorepo --template turborepo --provider postgresql

Templates are available for Hono, Elysia, NestJS, Next.js, SvelteKit, Astro, Nuxt, TanStack Start, and Turborepo.

What you get

The generated app includes the Prisma files and scripts you need:

• prisma/schema.prisma
• prisma/seed.ts
• prisma.config.ts
• db:generate, db:migrate, and db:seed scripts
• a Prisma client helper
• a .env file with DATABASE_URL

By default, it also includes a small User model, seed data, and an example query in the app. So the first thing you see is not just "Prisma is installed." You can run the app and see it talk to the database.

It can create a database too

If you choose PostgreSQL and do not provide a DATABASE_URL, create-prisma can create a Prisma Postgres database for you:

npm create prisma@latest \
  --name my-app \
  --template next \
  --provider postgresql \
  --prisma-postgres

The CLI writes the connection string into .env. It can also generate Prisma Client, run the first migration, and seed the database.

Databases created this way are temporary for 24 hours until claimed. That makes it easy to try an idea quickly and keep the database if the project becomes real.

Optional AI and editor setup

create-prisma can also set up Prisma tools for your editor and AI coding agents:

npm create prisma@latest \
  --name my-app \
  --template next \
  --provider postgresql \
  --skills \
  --mcp \
  --extension

These add-ons can install Prisma skills for coding agents, configure the Prisma MCP server, and install the Prisma extension for supported editors.

Try create-prisma today:

npm create prisma@latest

You can find the project on GitHub at github.com/prisma/create-prisma.