Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Version 3.1.0
A batteries-included SQL query & schema builder for PostgresSQL, MySQL, CockroachDB, MSSQL and SQLite3
Version 7.4.2
Prisma is an open-source database toolkit. It includes a JavaScript/TypeScript ORM for Node.js, migrations and a modern GUI to view and edit the data in your database. You can use Prisma in new projects or add it to an existing one.
Choosing between Knex and Prisma? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Prisma leads with 8.8M weekly downloads — roughly 2.4x more. Knex has 3.6M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Knex has the smallest gzipped bundle at 256.0 KB. Prisma comes in at 11.3 MB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Prisma has an overall health score of 92/100 (excellent), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Knex has an overall health score of 61/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
Choose Knex if you value large community support, strong security track record. Choose Prisma if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Both Knex and Prisma are solid choices for JavaScript development. Prisma has the edge in overall health score (92/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.