# Choose a Prisma ORM setup path (/docs/getting-started)

> 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.

Choose the fastest path to try Prisma ORM in a new or existing project.

Location: Choose a Prisma ORM setup path

Start with a quickstart if you want [Prisma ORM](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm) to create the app. Use the existing-project path if you already have an app and database.

Coming from an earlier version? [Coming from Prisma ORM 7](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/coming-from-prisma-orm-7) maps every Prisma ORM 7 API to its Prisma ORM 8 form, and [Release status](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/release-status) says where Prisma ORM 8 stands today.

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

* **Node.js 22.18 or newer on the 22 line, 24.11 or newer on the 24 line, or 26 or newer.** Check with `node --version`. Node.js 24 is recommended. The Nuxt template needs 22.22.3 or newer on the 22 line, or 24.15 or newer on the 24 line, because Nuxt requires it.
* **A package manager.** The npm that ships with your Node.js release works; on Node.js 22 that is npm 10. pnpm, Bun, and Yarn 4.10 or newer are also supported.

## Start a new project [#start-a-new-project]

  

#### bun

```bash
bun create prisma@latest
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm create prisma@latest
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn create prisma@latest
```

#### npm

```bash
npm create prisma@latest
```

The [create-prisma reference](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/create-prisma) lists every template and flag.

- [Start a TypeScript app with Postgres on Prisma for free](https://www.prisma.io/docs/full-stack-tutorial): The whole journey in one sitting: scaffold, Prisma Postgres, first query, and a Prisma Compute deploy.

- [Create a new app with PostgreSQL](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/quickstart/postgresql): Create the app, run it against a local Prisma Postgres from Composer or your own PostgreSQL, and run the first query.

- [Create a new app with MongoDB](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/quickstart/mongodb): Create the app, connect a MongoDB deployment, apply the first migration, and run the first query.

## Add to an existing project [#add-to-an-existing-project]

  

#### bun

```bash
bunx prisma@latest orm init
```

#### pnpm

```bash
pnpm dlx prisma@latest orm init
```

#### yarn

```bash
yarn dlx prisma@latest orm init
```

#### npm

```bash
npx prisma@latest orm init
```

- [Add to PostgreSQL](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/add-to-existing-project/postgresql): Add Prisma ORM to an existing PostgreSQL app and infer a starter contract from the live schema.

- [Add to MongoDB](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/add-to-existing-project/mongodb): Add Prisma ORM to an existing MongoDB app and model the collections you want to query first.

## After setup [#after-setup]

* Use the generated app scripts for the first run.
* Open `prisma-8.md` or the installed Prisma ORM skills when you want agent-ready guidance inside the project.
* Change the starter contract when you are ready to model your own data.
* Open the [Prisma ORM overview](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm) when you want the concepts behind the setup.

## Use with your agent [#use-with-your-agent]

You can hand either setup path to your coding agent. Copy the prompt that matches your project and give it to your agent. Both prompts use PostgreSQL.

To create a new app, use this prompt:

```text
Create a new [framework] application with Prisma ORM, seed it, and run it locally.

If I have not told you which framework, stop and ask before scaffolding. Valid --template values: minimal (the default), next, hono, nuxt, astro, nest, svelte, tanstack-start, elysia.

Check the Node.js version first: `node --version` must print 22.18 or newer on the 22 line, 24.11 or newer on the 24 line, or 26 or newer. For the nuxt template, it must print 22.22.3 or newer on the 22 line, 24.15 or newer on the 24 line, or 26 or newer, because Nuxt requires it. The npm that ships with your Node.js release works; on Node.js 22 that is npm 10.

1. Scaffold the app: `npm create prisma@latest -- my-app --template [framework] --provider postgres --yes`.
2. Get a database connection string: use the one I give you, or create a Prisma Postgres database with `npx create-db@latest` and show me the claim URL it prints. Export it as `DATABASE_URL` in the shell; the generated scripts read the environment variable, not `.env`.
3. From the project directory, apply the starter contract: `npm run db:init`. Sample users are seeded automatically on the app's first query; there is no separate seed script.
4. Edit the starter contract under `src/prisma/` into a small schema for my use case, then run `npm run contract:emit` and plan and apply the migration: `npx prisma migration plan`, then `npx prisma db migrate --yes`. Migration planning diffs the emitted contract, so the emit step is required.
5. Update the seed script under `src/prisma/` and the app routes to query the new schema, start `npm run dev` in the background (with `DATABASE_URL` exported), and verify with a request against the running app. For the `nest` template, if routes return 500s with `reading 'findAll'` in the logs, add explicit `@Inject()` tokens as shown in https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides/frameworks/nestjs.md.

Use the installed Prisma ORM skills and the current Prisma docs: https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt (append `.md` to any docs URL for a markdown version).
```

To add Prisma ORM to an app you already have, use this prompt:

```text
Add Prisma ORM to this existing project.

This flow is for PostgreSQL. If the project uses MongoDB, follow https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/add-to-existing-project/mongodb.md instead; for other databases, stop and tell me.

1. Run `npx prisma@latest orm init --yes --target postgres --authoring psl` (the flags are required when the CLI cannot prompt). It writes `prisma.config.ts`, a starter contract and `db.ts` under `src/prisma/`, and installs dependencies. Then run `npx prisma skills sync` to install the Prisma ORM skills.
2. Set `DATABASE_URL` in `.env` to my database. If I did not give you one, create a Prisma Postgres database with `npx create-db@latest`, put its connection string in `.env`, and show me the claim URL it prints so I can keep the database.
3. If the database already has tables, infer the contract from it: `npx prisma contract infer`, then `npx prisma contract emit`, then sign it with `npx prisma db sign`. If the database is empty, keep the starter contract and run `npx prisma db init`.
4. Write one query with the generated `db` client in an existing code path, run it, and show me the returned rows.

Follow https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm/add-to-existing-project/postgresql.md and the installed Prisma ORM skills.
```

## Related pages

- [`Console`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/console): Learn how to use the Console to manage and integrate Prisma products into your application.
- [`Introduction to Prisma ORM`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/prisma-orm): Prisma ORM 8 is a release candidate.
- [`Local development`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/local-development): Run the whole Prisma stack on your machine, with your app on Bun, a local Prisma Postgres database, and local object storage.
- [`Overview`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/cli): Prisma CLI reference
- [`Overview`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/guides): Practical, step-by-step guides for building with Prisma ORM and deploying to Prisma Compute, each one run end to end before it ships.