Drizzle ORM

Drizzle is the TypeScript ORM for developers who actually like SQL. Schema-as-code that looks like CREATE TABLE statements, zero code generation, instant type inference, and a 7.4KB bundle that makes serverless functions happy. It's what Prisma should have been if Prisma trusted developers to write queries.

No .prisma schema files, no generated client, no waiting for prisma generate. Change your schema and types update immediately. The query builder gives you SQL control with full TypeScript safety. Drizzle Kit handles migrations, Drizzle Studio browses your data. Compared to Prisma (more abstraction, MongoDB support, bigger ecosystem), Drizzle is lighter and faster. Compared to Knex (query builder only, no type safety), Drizzle adds real TypeScript integration. Compared to raw SQL, Drizzle adds safety without losing control.

Use this when you're building a TypeScript API and want SQL control with type safety, especially in serverless environments. Skip this if you need MongoDB or want maximum abstraction over database details.

The catch: SQL-only — no MongoDB, no DynamoDB. The ecosystem is younger than Prisma's, so fewer tutorials and plugins. And if you don't know SQL, Drizzle's SQL-first approach will feel harder, not easier. Apache 2.0 license.