7 Best ORMs for Next.js in 2026 (And Which One You Should Actually Use)
Every Next.js project eventually hits the same wall: you need a database, and suddenly you're staring at six different ORMs with six different philosophies about what good developer experience means. I've been there. Spent a weekend once just reading GitHub stars and Reddit threads before finally just picking one and building. That's probably the right move, honestly — but it helps to know what you're getting into before you're two months deep and switching costs are real. Here are the seven ORMs worth knowing in 2026, ranked roughly by how often you'll encounter them (and how much you should care).