Overview
Drizzle is a modern, lightweight TypeScript ORM designed for developers who want maximum control over their SQL with the safety of TypeScript types. Unlike heavier ORMs like Prisma, Drizzle provides a thin, transparent layer over raw SQL, making it ideal for developers who understand SQL and want to write it with type safety rather than abstract it away.
With zero external dependencies and a minified size of just 7.4kb, Drizzle excels in serverless and edge computing environments where bundle size and startup time matter. It supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite with the same elegant API, and includes powerful tools like Drizzle Studio for database management and Drizzle Kit for schema migrations.
The developer experience is exceptional - you get full IDE autocomplete for your database schema, compile-time type checking, and the flexibility to drop down to raw SQL whenever needed. Features like automatic migrations, relational queries, Zod schema generation, and transaction support cover all common use cases without bloat.
Perfect for solopreneurs and startups building serverless applications, real-time APIs, or microservices. Drizzle proves that modern developer ergonomics don't require heavyweight frameworks - you can have type safety and productivity with a minimal footprint.
Pricing
Open Source
- Zero dependencies
- Type-safe SQL with TypeScript
- Multi-database support (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite)
- Drizzle Studio for database management
- +8 more features
Drizzle ORM is fully open source and free to use. The team accepts sponsorships through GitHub Sponsors and Open Collective to support ongoing development.
Best for: TypeScript developers, Serverless application builders, Startups, Full-stack developers, SaaS companies, DevOps engineers, Database-heavy applications
The Good
- Extremely lightweight (~7.4kb)
- Zero dependencies
- Full type safety
- SQL-first approach
- Exceptional performance
- Perfect for serverless
- Excellent developer experience
- Flexible query APIs
- Native TypeScript support
- Active community support
The Bad
- Smaller ecosystem than Prisma
- Younger project with less adoption
- Fewer built-in helpers
- Requires SQL knowledge
- Limited enterprise support
- Sponsorship-based funding model
Best For
TypeScript developers, Serverless application builders, Startups, Full-stack developers, SaaS companies, DevOps engineers, Database-heavy applications
Zero-cost ORM with minimal overhead makes Drizzle perfect for bootstrapped solo projects. The lightweight architecture (7.4kb) means you control exactly how your database layer works without vendor lock-in or unnecessary abstractions, letting you build lean, high-performance applications.
Key Features
- 01Zero external dependencies - fully self-contained
- 02Type-safe SQL with TypeScript (no runtime overhead)
- 03Multi-database support (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite)
- 04Drizzle Studio for visual database management
- 05Serverless and edge computing ready
- 06Automatic migrations with Drizzle Kit
Integrations
Use Cases
- Serverless applications
- Edge computing
- Real-time applications
- API development
- Full-stack TypeScript applications
- Rapid prototyping
- High-performance data operations
- Microservices
Alternatives
PrismaNot sure if Drizzle is right for you?
See how it compares to an all-in-one solution.