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Prisma’s dynamic subcommand loading requires npm to be installed alongside Bun. This affects CLI commands such as prisma init and prisma migrate. Generated code works with Bun using the prisma-client generator.
1

Create a new project

Create a directory and initialize it with bun init.
terminal
mkdir prisma-app
cd prisma-app
bun init
2

Install Prisma dependencies

Then install the Prisma CLI (prisma), Prisma Client (@prisma/client), and the LibSQL adapter as dependencies.
terminal
bun add -d prisma
bun add @prisma/client @prisma/adapter-libsql
3

Initialize Prisma with SQLite

Use the Prisma CLI with bunx to initialize the schema and migration directory. This guide uses an in-memory SQLite database.
terminal
bunx --bun prisma init --datasource-provider sqlite
This creates a basic schema. Open prisma/schema.prisma, update the generator block to use the Rust-free client with the bun runtime, and add a User model.
https://mintcdn.com/bun-1dd33a4e/nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV/icons/ecosystem/prisma.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=nIz6GtMH5K-dfXeV&q=85&s=c37203455320f85a20a7b29ce374661cprisma/schema.prisma
  generator client {
    provider = "prisma-client"
    output = "./generated"
    engineType = "client"
    runtime = "bun"
  }

  datasource db {
    provider = "sqlite"
    url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
  }

  model User { 
    id    Int     @id @default(autoincrement()) 
    email String  @unique
    name  String?
  }
4

Create and run database migration

Generate and run the initial migration. This writes a .sql migration file to prisma/migrations, creates a new SQLite database, and runs the migration against it.
terminal
 bunx --bun prisma migrate dev --name init

Environment variables loaded from .env
Prisma schema loaded from prisma/schema.prisma
Datasource "db": SQLite database "dev.db" at "file:./dev.db"

SQLite database dev.db created at file:./dev.db

Applying migration `20251014141233_init`

The following migration(s) have been created and applied from new schema changes:

prisma/migrations/
 └─ 20251014141233_init/
   └─ migration.sql

Your database is now in sync with your schema.

✔ Generated Prisma Client (6.17.1) to ./generated in 18ms
5

Generate Prisma Client

As the output indicates, Prisma re-generates the Prisma client whenever you run a new migration. The client provides a fully typed API for reading and writing to your database. You can also re-generate it manually with the Prisma CLI.
terminal
bunx --bun prisma generate
6

Initialize Prisma Client with LibSQL

Create a new file prisma/db.ts that initializes the PrismaClient with the LibSQL adapter.
https://mintcdn.com/bun-1dd33a4e/JUhaF6Mf68z_zHyy/icons/typescript.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=JUhaF6Mf68z_zHyy&q=85&s=7ac549adaea8d5487d8fbd58cc3ea35bprisma/db.ts
import { PrismaClient } from "./generated/client";
import { PrismaLibSQL } from "@prisma/adapter-libsql";

const adapter = new PrismaLibSQL({ url: process.env.DATABASE_URL || "" });
export const prisma = new PrismaClient({ adapter });
7

Create a test script

Write a script that creates a new user, then counts the users in the database.
https://mintcdn.com/bun-1dd33a4e/JUhaF6Mf68z_zHyy/icons/typescript.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=JUhaF6Mf68z_zHyy&q=85&s=7ac549adaea8d5487d8fbd58cc3ea35bindex.ts
import { prisma } from "./prisma/db";

// create a new user
await prisma.user.create({
  data: {
    name: "John Dough",
    email: `john-${Math.random()}@example.com`,
  },
});

// count the number of users
const count = await prisma.user.count();
console.log(`There are ${count} users in the database.`);
8

Run and test the application

Run the script with bun run. Each run creates a new user.
terminal
bun run index.ts

Created john-0.12802932895402364@example.com
There are 1 users in the database.
terminal
bun run index.ts

Created john-0.8671308799782803@example.com
There are 2 users in the database.
terminal
bun run index.ts

Created john-0.4465968383115295@example.com
There are 3 users in the database.
Prisma is now set up with Bun. See the Prisma docs as you build out your application.