# db schema (/docs/cli/db-schema)

> For the complete Prisma documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt). A markdown version of any docs page is available by appending `.md` to its URL.

Inspect a live database schema.

Location: CLI > db schema

`db schema` reads the live database schema and prints it as a tree, or as the result document with `--json`. The command is always read-only: it never writes a file and never changes the database.

Use it when you need to inspect what Prisma ORM sees in the database before inferring, signing, updating, or debugging drift.

## Usage [#usage]

  

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
```

## Options [#options]

| Option            | What it does                                           |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| `--db <url>`      | Connects to the database.                              |
| `--config <path>` | Read this config file instead of `./prisma.config.ts`. |
| `--json`          | Prints machine-readable schema output.                 |

## Examples [#examples]

  

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
bunx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL" --json > schema.json
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
pnpm prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL" --json > schema.json
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
yarn prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL" --json > schema.json
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL"
npx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL" --json > schema.json
```

## Data lines [#data-lines]

`db schema` prints the tree on standard error and nothing on standard output, because the tree's shape depends on the database family. Use `--json` to read the schema in a script. [Global flags](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/global-flags#data-lines-of-prisma-orm-commands) lists the data lines of the other commands.

## Column types [#column-types]

On PostgreSQL and SQLite, the tree and the JSON output show each column's type as the database names it. In the JSON output, this text is the column's `typeText`:

```bash
npx prisma db schema --db "$DATABASE_URL" --json | jq 'select(.kind == "result") | .envelope.result.schema.tables[].columns[].typeText'
```

On PostgreSQL, `typeText` is the full type name, such as `integer` or `character varying(20)`, not a short name such as `int4`. An enum is named as your contract names it, such as `My Mood`, or `app.status` for an enum outside the `public` schema. A type from a schema that is not on the search path keeps the schema name, such as `extensions.vector(3)` for a pgvector column.

On SQLite, which Prisma ORM 8 supports as an [experimental package](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/supported-databases), `typeText` is the type the column was declared with, in lower case: a column declared `VARCHAR(255)` reads `varchar(255)`.

If a script reads `nativeType` or `resolvedNativeType` from the JSON output, change it to read `typeText`, which has replaced both fields since `8.0.0-rc.19`.

## Related commands [#related-commands]

Use [`contract infer`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/contract-infer) when you want to turn a live schema into a starter PSL contract. Use [`db verify`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/db-verify) when you want to compare the live schema with the emitted contract.

## Related pages

- [`auth`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/auth): Sign in to your Prisma account from the CLI, sign out, and manage workspace sessions.
- [`branch`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/branch): List platform branches for a project.
- [`bucket`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/bucket): Create and manage object-store buckets.
- [`Configuration`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/configuration): Configure Prisma ORM CLI commands with prisma.config.ts and global flags.
- [`contract emit`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli/contract-emit): Emit Prisma ORM contract artifacts.