PlanetScale

PlanetScale is a MySQL-compatible serverless database platform that offers database branching, non-blocking schema changes, and horizontal scaling. Using PlanetScale requires switching supastarter from the default PostgreSQL to MySQL.

1. Create a PlanetScale account and database

Go to planetscale.com and create an account. Create a new database and choose the region closest to your deployment target.

2. Get your connection string

In the PlanetScale dashboard, navigate to your database and click Connect. Select the Prisma or General connection string format depending on your ORM. Copy the connection string.

3. Configure environment variables

Add the connection string to your .env.local file:

DATABASE_URL="mysql://user:password@aws.connect.psdb.cloud/your-database?sslaccept=strict"

4. Configure your ORM for MySQL

Since PlanetScale uses MySQL, you need to update your ORM configuration.

Prisma

Update the provider in your Prisma schema to "mysql":

datasource db {
  provider = "mysql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

Then update the auth adapter provider to "mysql" in your auth configuration:

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: prismaAdapter(db, {
    provider: "mysql",
  }),
});

Drizzle

If you are using Drizzle, update the schema export to use the MySQL schema:

export * from "./mysql";

Update the Drizzle client to use the MySQL driver:

import { drizzle } from "drizzle-orm/mysql2";
import mysql from "mysql2/promise";
import * as schema from "./schema";

const databaseUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL as string;

if (!databaseUrl) {
  throw new Error("DATABASE_URL is not set");
}

const connection = await mysql.createConnection(databaseUrl);

export const db = drizzle(connection, { schema, mode: "default" });

Then update the auth adapter provider:

export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: drizzleAdapter(db, {
    provider: "mysql",
  }),
});

5. Remove mode: "insensitive" occurrences

Search your codebase for all occurrences of mode: "insensitive" and remove them. This is a Prisma feature that is not supported with MySQL databases.

6. Run migrations

Push your database schema to PlanetScale:

pnpm --filter database push

7. Start the development server

Start your development server to verify everything is working:

pnpm dev

Frequently asked questions

Should I use PlanetScale or PostgreSQL?

PostgreSQL is the default and recommended choice for supastarter. PlanetScale is a good option if your team prefers MySQL or you need PlanetScale's branching workflow for managing schema changes.

Can I use PlanetScale with Drizzle?

Yes, use the Drizzle MySQL adapter and export the MySQL schema from your schema directory. See the Drizzle configuration section above for details.

Does PlanetScale support foreign keys?

PlanetScale now supports foreign key constraints. Make sure to enable them in your PlanetScale database settings.