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Overview

Models represent tables in your database and define the structure of your data. Each model maps to a database table and contains fields that define columns.

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Basic Syntax

model User {
  id    Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
  email String @unique
  name  String?
}

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Model Structure

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Naming Conventions

Model names:
  • Use PascalCase (e.g., User, Post, BlogPost)
  • Should be singular (Prisma pluralizes table names by default)
  • Must start with a letter
  • Can contain letters, numbers, and underscores
model User {
  id Int @id
}

model BlogPost {
  id Int @id
}

model course_enrollment {
  id Int @id
}

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Simple Model Example

model Post {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  title     String
  content   String?
  published Boolean  @default(false)
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt
}

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Model Features

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Required vs Optional Fields

Fields are required by default. Add ? for optional fields: 
model User {
  id       Int     @id
  email    String  // Required
  name     String? // Optional
  bio      String? // Optional
}

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Database Table Mapping

By default, model names map to table names. Use @@map to customize: 
model User {
  id    Int    @id
  email String

  @@map("users")
}

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Model Comments

Add documentation to your models: 
/// User account information
model User {
  id    Int    @id
  email String @unique
}

/// This model contains an expression index which requires additional setup.
model Account {
  id       Int    @id
  username String
}

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Complete Model Examples

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User Management

model User {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  email     String   @unique
  firstName String?
  lastName  String?
  isAdmin   Boolean  @default(false)
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt

  posts    Post[]
  profile  Profile?
}

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Blog Post

model Post {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  title     String
  content   String?
  published Boolean  @default(false)
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt
  authorId  Int

  author   User       @relation(fields: [authorId], references: [id])
  comments Comment[]
}

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E-commerce Product

model Product {
  id          Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  sku         String   @unique
  name        String
  description String?
  price       Decimal  @db.Decimal(10, 2)
  stock       Int      @default(0)
  active      Boolean  @default(true)
  createdAt   DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt   DateTime @updatedAt

  orders      OrderItem[]
  categories  CategoryProduct[]
}

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User Profile

model Profile {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  bio       String?
  avatarUrl String?
  userId    Int      @unique

  user User @relation(fields: [userId], references: [id])
}

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Authentication Tokens

model Token {
  id         Int       @id @default(autoincrement())
  type       TokenType
  token      String?   @unique
  valid      Boolean   @default(true)
  expiration DateTime
  createdAt  DateTime  @default(now())
  userId     Int

  user User @relation(fields: [userId], references: [id])
}

enum TokenType {
  EMAIL
  API
}

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Course Enrollment (Many-to-Many)

model CourseEnrollment {
  userId    Int
  courseId  Int
  role      UserRole
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())

  user   User   @relation(fields: [userId], references: [id])
  course Course @relation(fields: [courseId], references: [id])

  @@id([userId, courseId])
  @@index([userId, role])
}

enum UserRole {
  STUDENT
  TEACHER
}

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Model Organization

Organize related models together: 
// User Management
model User {
  id    Int     @id @default(autoincrement())
  email String  @unique
  posts Post[]
}

model Profile {
  id     Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
  bio    String?
  userId Int    @unique
  user   User   @relation(fields: [userId], references: [id])
}

// Content Management
model Post {
  id       Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  title    String
  authorId Int
  author   User     @relation(fields: [authorId], references: [id])
}

model Comment {
  id      Int    @id @default(autoincrement())
  content String
  postId  Int
  post    Post   @relation(fields: [postId], references: [id])
}

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Model Ignoring

Exclude models from Prisma Client generation: 
model InternalLog {
  id      Int    @id
  message String

  @@ignore
}
Use cases:
  • Legacy tables you don’t need in your application
  • Temporary migration tables
  • Database-specific system tables

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Best Practices

  1. Use singular, PascalCase names for models
  2. Add comments for complex models or business logic
  3. Group related models together in your schema
  4. Use meaningful field names that reflect your domain
  5. Consider using @@map for existing databases with different naming conventions
  6. Always include timestamp fields (createdAt, updatedAt) for auditing
  7. Use appropriate field types for your data (covered in Field Types documentation)

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