# Prisma CLI DB Execute

> prisma db execute. Reference when using this Prisma feature.

- Skill: `prisma/prisma-cli-db-execute` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add prisma/prisma-cli-db-execute`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/prisma/prisma-cli-db-execute/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: prisma (https://skillmd.com/u/prisma)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/prisma/prisma-cli-db-execute

---


# prisma db execute

Execute native commands (SQL) to your database.

## Command

```bash
prisma db execute [options]
```

## What It Does

- Connects to your database using the configured datasource
- Executes a script provided via file (`--file`) or stdin (`--stdin`)
- Useful for running raw SQL, maintenance tasks, or applying diffs from `migrate diff`
- Not supported on MongoDB

## Options

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `--file` | Path to a file containing the script to execute |
| `--stdin` | Use terminal standard input as the script |
| `--url` | Override the datasource URL from the Prisma config file |
| `--config` | Custom path to your Prisma config file |

## Examples

### Execute from file

```bash
prisma db execute --file ./script.sql
```

### Execute from stdin

```bash
echo "TRUNCATE TABLE User;" | prisma db execute --stdin
```

### Execute `migrate diff` output

Pipe the output of `migrate diff` directly to the database:

```bash
prisma migrate diff \
  --from-empty \
  --to-schema-datamodel prisma/schema.prisma \
  --script \
| prisma db execute --stdin
```

## Configuration

Uses `datasource` from `prisma.config.ts`:

```typescript
export default defineConfig({
  datasource: {
    url: env('DATABASE_URL'),
  },
})
```

## Use Cases

- **Manual Migrations**: Applying raw SQL changes
- **Data Maintenance**: Truncating tables, cleaning up data
- **Schema Synchronization**: Applying `migrate diff` scripts
- **Debugging**: Running test queries (though typically not for fetching data)

## Limitations

- **No Data Return**: The command reports success/failure, not query results (rows). Use Prisma Client or `prisma studio` to view data.
- **SQL Only**: Primarily for SQL databases.