knex vs typeorm vs sequelize vs db-migrate
Node.js Database Libraries Comparison
1 Year
knextypeormsequelizedb-migrateSimilar Packages:
What's Node.js Database Libraries?

Node.js database libraries facilitate interaction with databases in a structured and efficient manner. They provide abstractions for database operations, allowing developers to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations without writing raw SQL queries. These libraries often support various database systems, enabling developers to choose the best fit for their applications. Additionally, they offer features like migrations, query building, and ORM capabilities, streamlining the development process and improving maintainability.

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knex2,306,52319,714874 kB1,193a year agoMIT
typeorm2,255,02535,16620.5 MB2,5015 days agoMIT
sequelize1,750,97229,9102.91 MB95811 days agoMIT
db-migrate85,7232,333118 kB1242 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: knex vs typeorm vs sequelize vs db-migrate

Migration Support

  • knex:

    Knex provides built-in support for migrations, allowing you to define and run migrations to keep your database schema in sync with your application. It offers a straightforward API for creating and rolling back migrations.

  • typeorm:

    TypeORM offers comprehensive migration support, enabling you to create and run migrations easily. It also allows you to generate migration files automatically based on your entity changes, streamlining the migration process.

  • sequelize:

    Sequelize includes a migration tool that helps manage changes to your database schema. It allows you to create migration files and run them to update your database structure in a controlled way.

  • db-migrate:

    db-migrate is specifically designed for managing database schema migrations. It allows you to create, manage, and apply migrations in a structured manner, ensuring that your database schema evolves alongside your application code.

Query Building

  • knex:

    Knex is known for its powerful and flexible query builder that allows developers to construct complex SQL queries programmatically. It supports various SQL dialects and provides a fluent API for building queries.

  • typeorm:

    TypeORM supports both query builder and ORM functionalities. It allows you to build complex queries using its fluent API while also providing a rich set of features for working with entities and relationships.

  • sequelize:

    Sequelize provides a high-level abstraction for building queries using its ORM capabilities. It allows you to define models and relationships, and then query them using a simple and intuitive API, making it easy to interact with your database.

  • db-migrate:

    db-migrate focuses on schema migrations rather than query building, so it does not provide a query builder. It is primarily used for managing database structure changes.

Learning Curve

  • knex:

    Knex has a moderate learning curve. While its query builder is intuitive, developers may need to familiarize themselves with its syntax and methods to fully leverage its capabilities.

  • typeorm:

    TypeORM can be complex to learn, especially for those new to TypeScript or ORM concepts. However, its comprehensive documentation and TypeScript support can help ease the learning process for developers familiar with these technologies.

  • sequelize:

    Sequelize has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features and ORM concepts. Developers need to understand models, associations, and the underlying SQL to use it effectively, but it provides a lot of power once mastered.

  • db-migrate:

    db-migrate has a relatively low learning curve, especially for those familiar with database concepts. Its focused functionality on migrations makes it straightforward to understand and use effectively.

Extensibility

  • knex:

    Knex is highly extensible, allowing developers to create custom query builders and extend its functionality through plugins. This flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of applications.

  • typeorm:

    TypeORM is designed to be extensible, supporting custom repositories and decorators. This allows developers to create reusable components and enhance the functionality of their entities and queries.

  • sequelize:

    Sequelize offers extensibility through hooks and custom methods, enabling developers to add custom logic to their models and queries. This allows for greater customization and integration with application logic.

  • db-migrate:

    db-migrate is extensible through plugins, allowing developers to customize its functionality to suit specific project needs. However, it is primarily focused on migration management.

Performance

  • knex:

    Knex is optimized for performance, allowing developers to write efficient queries while providing features like connection pooling and raw SQL execution for performance-critical operations.

  • typeorm:

    TypeORM is designed for performance, especially with its support for lazy loading and caching. However, like Sequelize, it can introduce overhead, so careful query design is essential for optimal performance.

  • sequelize:

    Sequelize can introduce some overhead due to its ORM nature, but it provides optimizations like eager loading and caching to improve performance. Developers need to be mindful of how they structure their queries to avoid performance pitfalls.

  • db-migrate:

    db-migrate's performance is primarily tied to the efficiency of the migration scripts you write. It does not directly impact runtime performance since it focuses on schema changes rather than query execution.

How to Choose: knex vs typeorm vs sequelize vs db-migrate
  • knex:

    Choose knex if you prefer a SQL query builder that provides a flexible and powerful interface for building complex queries while still allowing you to write raw SQL when necessary. It is suitable for projects that require fine-grained control over SQL execution.

  • typeorm:

    Choose typeorm if you are working with TypeScript and need a powerful ORM that supports both Active Record and Data Mapper patterns, along with features like migrations, caching, and eager/lazy loading, making it suitable for large-scale applications.

  • sequelize:

    Choose sequelize if you want a full-featured ORM that abstracts database interactions and provides a rich set of features like associations, validations, and hooks, making it ideal for applications that require complex data relationships and business logic.

  • db-migrate:

    Choose db-migrate if you need a dedicated migration tool that supports multiple databases and focuses on schema management, allowing you to version control your database schema easily.

README for knex

knex.js

npm version npm downloads Coverage Status Dependencies Status Gitter chat

A SQL query builder that is flexible, portable, and fun to use!

A batteries-included, multi-dialect (PostgreSQL, MySQL, CockroachDB, MSSQL, SQLite3, Oracle (including Oracle Wallet Authentication)) query builder for Node.js, featuring:

Node.js versions 12+ are supported.

You can report bugs and discuss features on the GitHub issues page or send tweets to @kibertoad.

For support and questions, join our Gitter channel.

For knex-based Object Relational Mapper, see:

  • https://github.com/Vincit/objection.js
  • https://github.com/mikro-orm/mikro-orm
  • https://bookshelfjs.org

To see the SQL that Knex will generate for a given query, you can use Knex Query Lab

Examples

We have several examples on the website. Here is the first one to get you started:

const knex = require('knex')({
  client: 'sqlite3',
  connection: {
    filename: './data.db',
  },
});

try {
  // Create a table
  await knex.schema
    .createTable('users', (table) => {
      table.increments('id');
      table.string('user_name');
    })
    // ...and another
    .createTable('accounts', (table) => {
      table.increments('id');
      table.string('account_name');
      table.integer('user_id').unsigned().references('users.id');
    });

  // Then query the table...
  const insertedRows = await knex('users').insert({ user_name: 'Tim' });

  // ...and using the insert id, insert into the other table.
  await knex('accounts').insert({
    account_name: 'knex',
    user_id: insertedRows[0],
  });

  // Query both of the rows.
  const selectedRows = await knex('users')
    .join('accounts', 'users.id', 'accounts.user_id')
    .select('users.user_name as user', 'accounts.account_name as account');

  // map over the results
  const enrichedRows = selectedRows.map((row) => ({ ...row, active: true }));

  // Finally, add a catch statement
} catch (e) {
  console.error(e);
}

TypeScript example

import { Knex, knex } from 'knex';

interface User {
  id: number;
  age: number;
  name: string;
  active: boolean;
  departmentId: number;
}

const config: Knex.Config = {
  client: 'sqlite3',
  connection: {
    filename: './data.db',
  },
};

const knexInstance = knex(config);

try {
  const users = await knex<User>('users').select('id', 'age');
} catch (err) {
  // error handling
}

Usage as ESM module

If you are launching your Node application with --experimental-modules, knex.mjs should be picked up automatically and named ESM import should work out-of-the-box. Otherwise, if you want to use named imports, you'll have to import knex like this:

import { knex } from 'knex/knex.mjs';

You can also just do the default import:

import knex from 'knex';

If you are not using TypeScript and would like the IntelliSense of your IDE to work correctly, it is recommended to set the type explicitly:

/**
 * @type {Knex}
 */
const database = knex({
  client: 'mysql',
  connection: {
    host: '127.0.0.1',
    user: 'your_database_user',
    password: 'your_database_password',
    database: 'myapp_test',
  },
});
database.migrate.latest();