Prisma ORM with GraphQL - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Build a Simple Prisma ORM with GraphQL API

📖 Scenario: You are creating a small backend API for a bookstore. The API will allow users to query and add books using GraphQL. The data will be stored using Prisma ORM connected to a database.

🎯 Goal: Build a GraphQL API that uses Prisma ORM to manage a list of books with fields id, title, and author. You will create the Prisma schema, configure the Prisma client, write GraphQL type definitions, and implement resolvers to query and add books.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Prisma schema with a Book model having id, title, and author fields

Generate Prisma client from the schema

Set up GraphQL type definitions for Book and queries/mutations

Implement resolvers to fetch all books and add a new book using Prisma client

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Building backend APIs for applications that need to manage data with a database and expose it via GraphQL.

💼 Career

Understanding Prisma ORM and GraphQL is valuable for backend developers working with modern JavaScript/TypeScript stacks.

1

Create Prisma schema with Book model

Create a Prisma schema file named schema.prisma with a Book model. The model should have an id field of type Int that is the primary key and auto-increments, a title field of type String, and an author field of type String. Also include a datasource block for SQLite and a generator block for Prisma client.

GraphQL

// Your Prisma schema goes here
// Define datasource, generator, and Book model

Hint

Remember to define the datasource and generator blocks before the model.

2

Generate Prisma client and import it

After creating the Prisma schema, run npx prisma generate to generate the Prisma client. Then, in your GraphQL server file, import PrismaClient from @prisma/client and create a new instance called prisma.

GraphQL

import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client';

// Create a new PrismaClient instance called prisma
// Your code here

Hint

Use import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client' and then const prisma = new PrismaClient().

3

Define GraphQL type definitions for Book and queries

Define GraphQL type definitions using gql from apollo-server. Create a Book type with id (ID!), title (String!), and author (String!). Define a Query type with a books field that returns a list of Book. Also define a Mutation type with addBook(title: String!, author: String!): Book!.

GraphQL

import { gql } from 'apollo-server';

// Define typeDefs using gql
// Your code here

Hint

Use backticks to define the GraphQL schema string with gql.

4

Implement resolvers to query and add books

Create a resolvers object with a Query field containing a books resolver that returns prisma.book.findMany(). Add a Mutation field with an addBook resolver that takes title and author from args and returns prisma.book.create with the data. Export both typeDefs and resolvers.

GraphQL

// Define resolvers object with Query and Mutation
// Your code here

// Export typeDefs and resolvers

Hint

Resolvers connect GraphQL queries and mutations to Prisma client methods.