How to use Prisma Next with Elysia

Introduction

In this guide, you scaffold an Elysia API backed by Prisma Next, initialize and seed a PostgreSQL database, and serve data over HTTP. The elysia template generates the server, so most of the work is understanding the pieces.

Every command and response below was run end to end against a live Prisma Postgres database.

Prerequisites

Bun 1.1 or later (Elysia is Bun-first)
A PostgreSQL connection string, or nothing at all: the scaffold can create a Prisma Postgres database for you

1. Scaffold the project

bunx create-prisma@next create my-elysia-api --provider postgres --template elysia

Pick your database at the prompt. The template generates an Elysia server in src/index.ts with GET / and GET /users routes, the Prisma Next setup in src/prisma/, and package scripts for the database steps.

cd my-elysia-api

2. Initialize and seed the database

bun run db:init
bun run db:seed

"summary": "Applied 5 operation(s) across 1 space(s), database signed"
Seeded 3 users.

Scaffolded with an older create-prisma and seeing Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'where')? Update db.orm.User to db.orm.public.User in src/prisma/seed.ts and src/prisma/users.ts. Current templates generate the qualified form.

3. Run the server

bun run dev

The server starts on port 3000 (set PORT to change it):

curl http://localhost:3000/users

[
  { "id": "1", "email": "alice@prisma.io", "username": "alice", "name": "Alice", "createdAt": "2026-07-07T08:51:14.054Z" },
  { "id": "2", "email": "bob@prisma.io", "username": "bob", "name": "Bob", "createdAt": "2026-07-07T08:51:14.089Z" },
  { "id": "3", "email": "carol@prisma.io", "username": "carol", "name": "Carol", "createdAt": "2026-07-07T08:51:14.122Z" }
]

The route handler is ordinary Elysia code calling an ordinary Prisma Next query; there is no framework adapter in between. To add write routes, follow the same pattern as the Hono guide's POST route; the query code is identical.

Common gotchas

In a long-running server, don't call db.close() in route handlers; the client's connection pool is shared across requests. Close it only on process shutdown.

Prompt your coding agent

The scaffold installs Prisma Next skills for your coding agent. Prompts that map to this guide:

"Using the prisma-next-queries skill, add GET /users/
that returns one user or a 404."
"Add a POST /users route that creates a user from the request body."

Next steps

Learn the fundamentals: filtering, sorting, pagination, and writes.
Read the Prisma Next overview for the concepts behind contracts and typed queries.
Use the Hono guide for the tested POST route pattern.

Elysia

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