Turso (libSQL)

Turso is an edge-hosted SQLite-compatible database built on libSQL. It is ideal for edge deployments and applications that benefit from embedded replicas with ultra-low latency reads.

1. Create a Turso account and database

Install the Turso CLI and create a new database:

turso db create my-saas-db

Get the database URL and create an auth token:

turso db show my-saas-db --url
turso db tokens create my-saas-db

2. Configure environment variables

Add the database URL and auth token to your .env.local file:

DATABASE_URL="libsql://your-db-name-your-org.turso.io"
DATABASE_AUTH_TOKEN="your-auth-token"

3. Switch to Drizzle and configure for libSQL

First, update the database package export to use Drizzle:

export * from "./drizzle";

Update the schema export to use the SQLite schema:

export * from "./sqlite";

Update the Drizzle client to use the @libsql/client driver:

import { drizzle } from "drizzle-orm/libsql";
import { createClient } from "@libsql/client";
import * as schema from "./schema";

const client = createClient({
  url: process.env.DATABASE_URL!,
  authToken: process.env.DATABASE_AUTH_TOKEN,
});

export const db = drizzle(client, { schema });

4. Update the auth adapter

Update the auth adapter to use the SQLite provider:

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

5. Run migrations

Push your database schema to Turso:

pnpm --filter database push

6. Start the development server

Start your development server to verify everything is working:

pnpm dev

Frequently asked questions

When should I use Turso over PostgreSQL?

Turso is ideal for edge deployments where low-latency reads are critical. For most SaaS applications, PostgreSQL is the safer default choice due to its broader ecosystem and tooling support.

Does Turso support embedded replicas?

Yes, Turso can create local SQLite replicas that sync with the remote database, providing sub-millisecond read latency. This is one of Turso's standout features for edge deployments.

Can I use Turso with Prisma?

Prisma's libSQL adapter is available but not as mature as Drizzle's. We recommend using Drizzle with Turso for the best experience.