prisma-upgrade-v7

# Upgrade to Prisma ORM 7

Complete guide for migrating from Prisma ORM v6 to v7. This upgrade introduces significant breaking changes around the new `prisma-client` generator, driver adapters, `prisma.config.ts`, explicit environment loading, and generated client entrypoints.

## When to Apply

Reference this skill when:
- Upgrading from Prisma v6 to v7
- Updating to the `prisma-client` generator
- Setting up driver adapters
- Configuring `prisma.config.ts`
- Fixing import errors after upgrade

## Rule Categories by Priority

| Priority | Category | Impact | Prefix |
|----------|----------|--------|--------|
| 1 | Schema Migration | CRITICAL | `schema-changes` |
| 2 | Database Connectivity | CRITICAL | `driver-adapters` |
| 3 | Module System | CRITICAL | `esm-support` |
| 4 | Config and Env | HIGH | `prisma-config`, `env-variables` |
| 5 | Removed Features | HIGH | `removed-features` |
| 6 | Accelerate | HIGH | `accelerate-users` |

## Quick Reference

- `schema-changes` - generator migration, required output paths, generated entrypoints, and `Prisma.validator` replacement
- `driver-adapters` - required adapter installation for SQL providers, pool differences, and Prisma Postgres adapter choices
- `esm-support` - ESM-first setup plus CommonJS fallback with `moduleFormat = "cjs"`
- `prisma-config` - creating and using `prisma.config.ts`
- `env-variables` - explicit environment loading
- `removed-features` - removed middleware, metrics, and legacy CLI behavior
- `accelerate-users` - migration notes for Accelerate users

## Important Notes

- **MongoDB projects should stay on Prisma 6.x** - do not migrate MongoDB apps to Prisma 7's SQL client path
- **Node.js 20.19.0+** required
- **TypeScript 5.4.0+** required
- **Latest stable Prisma ORM version**: `7.6.0`

## Upgrade Steps Overview

1. Update packages to v7
2. Choose your module format (`esm` by default, `cjs` if needed)
3. Update TypeScript configuration
4. Update the schema generator block
5. Create `prisma.config.ts`
6. Install and configure a driver adapter for SQL providers
7. Update Prisma Client imports
8. Update client instantiation
9. Replace deprecated helper patterns like `Prisma.validator`
10. Run `prisma generate` and test

## Quick Upgrade Commands

```bash
# Update packages
npm install @prisma/client@7
npm install -D prisma@7

# Install a driver adapter (PostgreSQL or Prisma Postgres via direct TCP)
npm install @prisma/adapter-pg pg

# Install dotenv for env loading
npm install dotenv

# Regenerate client
npx prisma generate
```

## Breaking Changes Summary

| Change | v6 | v7 |
|--------|----|----|
| Module format | Implicit / mixed | ESM-first, `moduleFormat = "cjs"` supported |
| Generator provider | `prisma-client-js` | `prisma-client` is the default, while `prisma-client-js` still exists for legacy setups |
| Output path | Auto (node_modules) | Required explicit |
| Driver adapters | Optional | Required for SQL providers |
| Config file | `.env` + schema | `prisma.config.ts` |
| Env loading | Automatic | Manual (dotenv) |
| Generated entrypoints | Single package export | `client`, `browser`, `models`, `enums` entrypoints |
| Type-safe query fragments | `Prisma.validator()` | TypeScript `satisfies` |
| Middleware | `$use()` | Client Extensions |
| Metrics | Preview feature | Removed |

## Rule Files

Detailed migration guides for each breaking change:

```
references/esm-support.md        - ESM and CommonJS configuration
references/schema-changes.md     - Generator, output, imports, and generated entrypoints
references/driver-adapters.md    - Required driver adapter setup
references/prisma-config.md      - New configuration file
references/env-variables.md      - Environment variable loading
references/removed-features.md   - Middleware, metrics, and CLI flags
references/accelerate-users.md   - Special handling for Accelerate
```

## Step-by-Step Migration

### 1. Update package.json for ESM-first projects

```json
{
  "type": "module"
}
```

If you need to stay on CommonJS, keep your app as CJS and set `moduleFormat = "cjs"` in the generator block instead of forcing ESM.

### 2. Update tsconfig.json

```json
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "ESNext",
    "moduleResolution": "bundler",
    "target": "ES2023",
    "strict": true,
    "esModuleInterop": true
  }
}
```

### 3. Update schema.prisma

```prisma
// Before (v6)
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client-js"
}

// After (v7)
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../generated/prisma"
  // Optional if you need CommonJS:
  // moduleFormat = "cjs"
}
```

### 4. Create prisma.config.ts

```typescript
import 'dotenv/config'
import { defineConfig, env } from 'prisma/config'

export default defineConfig({
  schema: 'prisma/schema.prisma',
  migrations: {
    path: 'prisma/migrations',
  },
  datasource: {
    url: env('DATABASE_URL'),
  },
})
```

### 5. Install a driver adapter (SQL providers only)

```bash
# PostgreSQL
npm install @prisma/adapter-pg pg

# MySQL
npm install @prisma/adapter-mariadb mariadb

# SQLite
npm install @prisma/adapter-better-sqlite3 better-sqlite3

# Prisma Postgres in standard Node.js apps (recommended)
npm install @prisma/adapter-pg pg

# Prisma Postgres serverless driver (edge/serverless)
npm install @prisma/adapter-ppg @prisma/ppg

# Neon
npm install @prisma/adapter-neon
```

MongoDB does not have a SQL `@prisma/adapter-*` package in the published Prisma 7.6.0 packages. If you're upgrading a MongoDB project, stop and keep that project on the latest Prisma 6.x release instead of following the standard Prisma 7 migration path.

### 6. Update client instantiation

```typescript
// Before (v6)
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client'
const prisma = new PrismaClient()

// After (v7)
import { PrismaClient } from '../generated/prisma/client'
import { PrismaPg } from '@prisma/adapter-pg'

const adapter = new PrismaPg({
  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL
})

const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter })
```

### 7. Replace Prisma.validator with satisfies

```typescript
import { Prisma } from '../generated/prisma/client'

const userSelect = {
  id: true,
  email: true,
  name: true,
} satisfies Prisma.UserSelect
```

### 8. Run migrations and generate

```bash
npx prisma generate
npx prisma migrate dev  # if needed
```

## Troubleshooting

### "Cannot find module" errors
- Check that the generator `output` path matches your import path
- Ensure `prisma generate` ran successfully

### SSL certificate errors
- Add `ssl: { rejectUnauthorized: false }` to the adapter config if you need to preserve old behavior
- Or configure your certificates properly with `NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS` / OpenSSL CA settings

### Connection timeout issues
- Driver adapters use the underlying driver's defaults, which differ from v6
- Configure pool settings explicitly on the adapter if needed

## Resources

- [Official v7 Upgrade Guide](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/more/upgrades/to-v7)
- [Driver Adapters Documentation](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/core-concepts/supported-databases/database-drivers)
- [Prisma Config Reference](https://www.prisma.io/docs/orm/reference/prisma-config-reference)

## How to Use

Follow `references/schema-changes.md` and `references/driver-adapters.md` first, then apply the remaining reference files based on your project setup.