Prisma Postgres

Prisma Postgres is a serverless PostgreSQL database that is instantly responsive and effortlessly scalable. Built on bare metal infrastructure with zero cold starts and built-in global caching, it scales to zero when idle and handles traffic spikes seamlessly. Through Deno Deploy's database provisioning feature, you can create and manage Prisma Postgres instances that automatically integrate with your applications and their deployment environments.

Overview Jump to heading#

When you provision a Prisma Postgres database and assign it to an app, Deno Deploy automatically creates separate databases for each deployment environment:

• Production deployments use {app-id}-production
• Git branches get {app-id}--{branch-name}
• Preview deployments use {app-id}-preview

Your code automatically connects to the correct database for each environment without requiring timeline detection or manual configuration.

Provisioning a Prisma Postgres Database Jump to heading#

Creating the Instance Jump to heading#

1. Navigate to your organization dashboard and click "Databases" in the navigation bar.
2. Click "Provision Database".
3. Select "Prisma Postgres" from the available options.
4. Give your database instance a name.
5. Complete the provisioning flow.

Assigning to an App Jump to heading#

Once your Prisma Postgres instance is provisioned:

1. From the database instances list, click "Assign" next to your Prisma Postgres instance.
2. Select the app from the dropdown.
3. Deno Deploy will automatically provision separate databases for production, Git branches, and preview environments.
4. Monitor the provisioning status as it changes to "Connected".

Using Prisma Postgres in Your Code Jump to heading#

Zero Configuration Required Jump to heading#

Once assigned, your code automatically connects to the correct Prisma Postgres database for each environment. Deno Deploy injects standard PostgreSQL environment variables into your runtime:

• PGHOST - Database host (db.prisma.io)
• PGPORT - Database port (5432)
• PGDATABASE - Database name (automatically selected for your environment)
• PGUSER - Database username
• PGPASSWORD - Database password
• PGSSLMODE - SSL mode configuration
• DATABASE_URL - Standard PostgreSQL connection string (postgresql://user:password@db.prisma.io:5432/database)
• PRISMA_ACCELERATE_URL - Connection URL for Prisma Accelerate, a global connection pooling and caching layer that provides optimized database access with reduced latency

Example with pg Jump to heading#

import { Pool } from "npm:pg";

// No configuration needed - Deno Deploy handles this automatically
const pool = new Pool();

Deno.serve(async () => {
  const result = await pool.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = $1", [123]);

  return new Response(JSON.stringify(result.rows), {
    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
  });
});

Example with Prisma ORM Jump to heading#

import { PrismaClient } from "@prisma/client";

// Prisma Client automatically uses DATABASE_URL environment variable
const prisma = new PrismaClient();

Deno.serve(async () => {
  const users = await prisma.user.findMany();

  return new Response(JSON.stringify(users), {
    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
  });
});

Environment-Specific Databases Jump to heading#

Each environment automatically receives its own isolated database:

• Production: When code is deployed to production, it connects to {app-id}-production
• Git Branches: Branch deployments connect to {app-id}--{branch-name}
• Preview Deployments: Preview timelines connect to {app-id}-preview

This isolation ensures production data stays safe while developing and testing.

Schema Management and Migrations Jump to heading#

Since each environment has its own database, you can safely test schema changes and migrations without affecting production data.

Using Prisma Tooling Jump to heading#

To manage your database schema with Prisma, you'll need the connection string for the specific environment database you want to work with. You can find the connection string in the database table on your database instance detail page in the Deno Deploy dashboard.

Generate Prisma Client Jump to heading#

After defining or updating your Prisma schema, generate the Prisma Client:

npx prisma generate

This creates the type-safe database client based on your schema.

Run Migrations Jump to heading#

To apply migrations to a specific environment database, use the connection string for that environment:

# Apply migrations to production database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b-production" npx prisma migrate deploy

# Apply migrations to a branch database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b--feature-branch" npx prisma migrate deploy

# Apply migrations to preview database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b-preview" npx prisma migrate deploy

For development, you can create and apply migrations interactively:

DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b-dev" npx prisma migrate dev

Seed the Database Jump to heading#

To populate your database with initial data using Prisma's seeding feature:

# Seed production database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b-production" npx prisma db seed

# Seed branch database
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:pass@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b--feature-branch" npx prisma db seed

Local Development Jump to heading#

When developing locally with a Prisma Postgres database from Deploy, create a .env file in your project root with the connection details:

PGHOST=db.prisma.io
PGPORT=5432
PGDATABASE=3ba03b-dev
PGUSER=your-username
PGPASSWORD=your-password
PGSSLMODE=require
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://your-username:your-password@db.prisma.io:5432/3ba03b-dev

Run your application with the --env flag:

deno run --env --allow-all main.ts

Managing Your Prisma Postgres Instance Jump to heading#

Viewing Details Jump to heading#

Click on your Prisma Postgres instance in the Databases dashboard to view:

• Connection information
• Assigned apps
• Individual databases created for each environment
• Health and connection status

Claiming Your Prisma Project Jump to heading#

When you provision a Prisma Postgres database, Deno Deploy creates a free-tier project on prisma.io. This free tier includes 100K operations per month, 500 MB storage, and 5 databases.

To upgrade your Prisma subscription plan and lift the free tier limits, you'll need to claim your database project on prisma.io:

1. Go to your database instance detail page in the Deno Deploy dashboard.
2. Click the "Claim on Prisma" button.
3. You'll be guided through the Prisma project claim flow.
4. Select a workspace in Prisma where you want to claim the project.

Once claimed, you can manage your Prisma subscription and upgrade your plan directly through prisma.io to increase operation limits, storage capacity, and access additional features.

Status Indicators Jump to heading#

• 🟢 Connected - All databases are ready and working
• 🟡 Creating - Databases are being provisioned
• 🔴 Error - Some databases failed to create
• ⚪ Unassigned - No apps are using this database yet

Removing App Assignments Jump to heading#

To disconnect an app from your Prisma Postgres instance:

1. Go to the database detail page
2. Find the app in the "Assigned Apps" table
3. Click "Remove" next to the app

The databases remain in your Prisma Postgres instance - only the connection between your app and the instance is removed.

Troubleshooting Jump to heading#

Provisioning Issues Jump to heading#

"Database creation failed" may indicate:

• Insufficient capacity or quota limits
• Naming conflicts with existing databases
• Temporary service issues

Try using the "Fix" button to retry failed operations.

Connection Issues Jump to heading#

"Error" status can be resolved by:

• Using the "Fix" button to retry failed operations
• Checking the database detail page for more information
• Verifying your app is deployed and running

Frequently Asked Questions Jump to heading#

Q: Can multiple apps share the same Prisma Postgres instance?

Yes! Multiple apps can be assigned to the same Prisma Postgres instance. Each app gets its own isolated databases within that instance.

Q: What happens to my data when I remove an app assignment?

The databases remain in your Prisma Postgres instance. Only the connection between your app and the database is removed.

Q: How do I access my Prisma Postgres databases directly?

Use the connection details from your Deno Deploy dashboard with any PostgreSQL client tool (psql, pgAdmin, TablePlus, etc.). Connect using the specific database name shown for each environment.

Q: Can I use the same database for multiple environments?

By default, each environment gets its own database for isolation. You can override this by explicitly configuring your database connection in code, though this is not recommended for production applications.

Q: How do I delete a Prisma Postgres instance?

First remove all app assignments, then click "Delete" on the database instance. This removes the Prisma Postgres instance and all its data permanently.