Drizzle ORM: The Complete Guide for TypeScript Developers in 2026

Drizzle ORM has become one of the most talked-about database tools in the TypeScript ecosystem. With its "if you know SQL, you know Drizzle" philosophy and lightning-fast performance, it's challenging Prisma's dominance. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Drizzle ORM?

Drizzle is a TypeScript-first ORM that takes a radically different approach from Prisma. Instead of generating client code from schema files, Drizzle lets you define your schema in TypeScript and generates SQL from that.

The result? Zero code generation, smaller bundle sizes, and queries that look almost exactly like SQL.

Drizzle vs Prisma: Key Differences

Bundle Size

• Drizzle: ~100KB
• Prisma: 2-4MB (includes query engine)

This difference matters significantly for serverless deployments where cold start times are critical.

Query Syntax

Drizzle (SQL-like):

const users = await db
  .select()
  .from(usersTable)
  .where(eq(usersTable.email, "user@example.com"));

Prisma (Object-oriented):

const users = await prisma.user.findMany({
  where: { email: "user@example.com" }
});

Code Generation

Prisma requires running

prisma generate

after schema changes. Drizzle has no generation step—your TypeScript schema IS the source of truth.

Getting Started with Drizzle

Installation

pnpm add drizzle-orm postgres
pnpm add -D drizzle-kit

Define Your Schema

// schema.ts
import { pgTable, serial, text, timestamp } from "drizzle-orm/pg-core";

export const users = pgTable("users", {
  id: serial("id").primaryKey(),
  name: text("name").notNull(),
  email: text("email").notNull().unique(),
  createdAt: timestamp("created_at").defaultNow()
});

export const posts = pgTable("posts", {
  id: serial("id").primaryKey(),
  title: text("title").notNull(),
  content: text("content"),
  authorId: serial("author_id").references(() => users.id)
});

Configure Drizzle Kit

// drizzle.config.ts
import { defineConfig } from "drizzle-kit";

export default defineConfig({
  schema: "./src/schema.ts",
  out: "./drizzle",
  dialect: "postgresql",
  dbCredentials: {
    url: process.env.DATABASE_URL!
  }
});

Run Migrations

pnpm drizzle-kit generate
pnpm drizzle-kit migrate

Essential Drizzle Queries

Select with Joins

const postsWithAuthors = await db
  .select({
    postTitle: posts.title,
    authorName: users.name
  })
  .from(posts)
  .leftJoin(users, eq(posts.authorId, users.id));

Insert

const newUser = await db
  .insert(users)
  .values({ name: "John", email: "john@example.com" })
  .returning();

Update

await db
  .update(users)
  .set({ name: "Jane" })
  .where(eq(users.id, 1));

Delete

await db.delete(users).where(eq(users.id, 1));

Transactions

await db.transaction(async (tx) => {
  const user = await tx.insert(users).values({ name: "New User", email: "new@example.com" }).returning();
  await tx.insert(posts).values({ title: "First Post", authorId: user[0].id });
});

Drizzle Studio

Drizzle includes a beautiful database GUI called Drizzle Studio:

pnpm drizzle-kit studio

This opens a local web interface for browsing and editing your database—no external tools needed.

Performance Advantages

Serverless-Friendly

Drizzle's small bundle size means faster cold starts on platforms like Vercel, Cloudflare Workers, and AWS Lambda. Some teams report 50-70% reduction in cold start times after migrating from Prisma.

No Query Engine

Prisma bundles a Rust query engine that adds complexity. Drizzle communicates directly with your database driver, reducing overhead.

When to Use Drizzle vs Prisma

Choose Drizzle If:

• You're comfortable with SQL syntax
• Bundle size matters (serverless deployments)
• You want type safety without code generation
• You prefer explicit over magic

Stick with Prisma If:

• You prefer object-oriented query syntax
• You need Prisma's mature ecosystem (Pulse, Accelerate)
• Your team is already proficient with Prisma
• You want a larger community for support

Conclusion

Drizzle ORM represents a new approach to database access in TypeScript—one that embraces SQL rather than abstracting it away. For developers who value performance, type safety, and simplicity, it's become the go-to choice in 2026.

The migration from Prisma is straightforward, and the benefits for serverless deployments are substantial. Give Drizzle a try on your next project.