If you're looking for the best Node.js ORMs to learn in 2025, here are the top five, ranked based on their popularity, feature set, and ecosystem support:
1. Prisma
- Why Learn? Modern, type-safe, and developer-friendly ORM with excellent TypeScript support.
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Key Features:
- Auto-generated, type-safe queries
- Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, and CockroachDB
- Built-in migrations and database schema management
- Great for Next.js and serverless applications
- Best For: TypeScript developers, modern full-stack apps, and projects needing strong database abstraction.
2. Sequelize
- Why Learn? The most established ORM for SQL databases in Node.js.
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Key Features:
- Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, and MSSQL
- Promise-based API with flexible query options
- Raw SQL support and transaction handling
- Active community and ecosystem
- Best For: Developers needing a mature and widely used ORM with relational databases.
3. TypeORM
- Why Learn? Fully-featured ORM with deep TypeScript integration.
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Key Features:
- Supports multiple database systems (SQL and NoSQL)
- Decorator-based syntax (great for NestJS users)
- Active record and data mapper patterns
- CLI for migrations and schema management
- Best For: TypeScript developers, NestJS projects, and enterprise-level applications.
4. Drizzle ORM
- Why Learn? A lightweight, SQL-first ORM focused on performance.
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Key Features:
- TypeScript-first with full type safety
- SQL-like API without unnecessary abstractions
- Works with PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and Planetscale
- Fast migrations and lightweight footprint
- Best For: Performance-focused applications and developers who prefer raw SQL flexibility with TypeScript safety.
5. Objection.js
- Why Learn? A relational ORM built on top of Knex.js with strong SQL query capabilities.
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Key Features:
- Supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, and MSSQL
- Hybrid approach (ORM + Query Builder flexibility)
- Excellent relation mapping and eager loading
- Works well with Express and Koa
- Best For: Developers who need a mix of raw SQL power and ORM convenience.
Which One Should You Learn?
- For TypeScript & Modern Development → Prisma, Drizzle ORM
- For Traditional Relational Databases → Sequelize, TypeORM
- For SQL Query Flexibility → Objection.js
Top comments (3)
ORM? Just use simple query builders like knex.js!
All this ORMs have a built-in query builder , so why not enjoying the readability and maintainability of the ORM and the flexibility of query builder .
Objection.js is built on top of Knex.js , so if you are more familiar with it Objection.js gonna suits you well .
If I already know how to fetch data, then why would I use sdk to do the same thing?