db-seed-generator
DB Seed Generator
Before generating any output, read config/defaults.md and adapt all patterns, imports, and code examples to the user's configured stack.
Process
- Read
schema.prismaand extract all models, fields, types, constraints, relations, and enums. - Determine dependency order: models with no required relations first, then models that depend on them.
- Generate a
prisma/seed.tsfile with realistic fake data that respects all constraints. - Output a ready-to-run seed file.
Dependency Ordering
Build a directed graph of model dependencies from @relation fields. Topologically sort so parent records are created before children.
User (no deps) → create first
Organization (no deps) → create first
Post (depends on User) → create second
Comment (depends on User, Post) → create third
If circular dependencies exist, use a two-pass approach: create records with required fields first, then update with optional relation fields.
Data Generation Rules
Field Name Conventions
Generate realistic values based on field names:
| Pattern | Generated value |
|---|---|
firstName |
"Elena", "Marcus", "Priya" |
lastName |
"Rodriguez", "Chen", "Okafor" |
name (on User) |
"Elena Rodriguez" |
email |
"elena.rodriguez@example.com" |
phone |
"555-0101", "555-0102" |
avatarUrl, imageUrl |
"https://example.com/avatars/1.jpg" |
url, website |
"https://example.com" |
title (on Post/Article) |
Realistic short sentences |
content, body, description |
1-3 realistic sentences |
slug |
Derived from title: "realistic-short-sentence" |
price, amount |
Realistic numbers like 29.99, 149.00 |
quantity, count |
Small integers: 1-100 |
createdAt, updatedAt |
Dates spread over the last 90 days |
publishedAt |
Either null or a date after createdAt |
isActive, isPublished |
Mix of true/false |
role (enum) |
Distribute across valid enum values |
password |
Pre-hashed placeholder: "$2b$10$..." — never plaintext |
Constraints
@unique: Ensure every value is unique. Use index suffixes:"user1@example.com","user2@example.com".@id @default(cuid()): Omit from create calls — let the database generate them.@default(now()): Omit or set explicit dates for predictable ordering.@default(value): Omit to use the default, or set explicitly for variety.- Enums: Only use values defined in the enum.
Int,Float: Respect@db.SmallInt,@db.Decimal(10,2)etc.
Relations
- One-to-many: Create the "one" side first, reference its ID on the "many" side.
- Many-to-many (implicit): Use
connectsyntax after both sides exist. - Self-referencing: Create root records first (no parent), then children pointing to them.
- Required relations: Always satisfy — never leave a required FK null.
- Optional relations: Mix of connected and null.
Output Template
import { PrismaClient } from "@prisma/client";
const prisma = new PrismaClient();
async function main() {
// Clear existing data (reverse dependency order)
await prisma.comment.deleteMany();
await prisma.post.deleteMany();
await prisma.user.deleteMany();
// Seed in dependency order
const users = await Promise.all([
prisma.user.upsert({
where: { email: "elena.rodriguez@example.com" },
update: {},
create: {
email: "elena.rodriguez@example.com",
name: "Elena Rodriguez",
// ... fields
},
}),
// ... more users
]);
// Use createMany for bulk inserts where relations allow
await prisma.post.createMany({
data: [
{ title: "...", authorId: users[0].id },
// ...
],
});
console.log("Seeded: X users, Y posts, Z comments");
}
main()
.catch((e) => {
console.error(e);
process.exit(1);
})
.finally(() => prisma.$disconnect());
Scale Parameter
When the user specifies a count (e.g., "seed 50 users"), generate that many records. Default to 5-10 records per model. Use createMany for bulk inserts where possible. Wrap large seeds in a prisma.$transaction().
Upsert Pattern
Use upsert on a unique field to make the seed idempotent — safe to run multiple times.
Reference
See references/seed-patterns.md for dependency ordering details, realistic data patterns, and performance tips.