Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Propel ORM VS Objection.js

Compare Propel ORM VS Objection.js and see what are their differences

Propel ORM logo Propel ORM

Application and Data, Languages & Frameworks, and Microframeworks (Backend)

Objection.js logo Objection.js

Objection.
  • Propel ORM Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-02-27
  • Objection.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-02

Propel ORM features and specs

  • Active Record Pattern
    Propel ORM utilizes the active record pattern, which makes it straightforward to represent database tables as classes, simplifying CRUD operations.
  • Code Generation
    Propel provides a code generation tool that automatically generates PHP classes from your database schema, speeding up development and reducing boilerplate code.
  • Cross-Database Support
    Propel supports multiple database systems, making it a flexible choice for projects that might need to switch databases or support different environments.
  • Powerful Query Builder
    It includes a query builder that allows developers to construct complex SQL queries through a fluent API, improving code readability and maintainability.
  • Symfony Integration
    Propel integrates seamlessly with the Symfony framework, which can enhance the development experience for projects using Symfony.

Possible disadvantages of Propel ORM

  • Complex Configuration
    Propel's configuration can be complex and may require a significant learning curve, particularly for developers new to ORM or Propel itself.
  • Performance Overhead
    The abstraction layer introduced by Propel can introduce some performance overhead compared to raw SQL, which might be a consideration for performance-critical applications.
  • Limited Flexibility
    While Propel is powerful, the active record pattern can make it less flexible when dealing with very complex queries or non-standard database configurations.
  • Community and Documentation
    Compared to some other ORMs, Propel has a smaller community and may lack extensive documentation or community support, potentially making troubleshooting more challenging.
  • Mature but Less Maintained
    Propel has been around for a while, which makes it mature, but it has fewer updates and active maintenance compared to some newer ORMs.

Objection.js features and specs

  • Simplicity
    Objection.js provides a simple and intuitive syntax for defining models and relations, making it easy for developers to set up and manage database interactions.
  • Flexibility
    It allows for raw SQL queries alongside its ORM capabilities, giving developers the flexibility to optimize and customize queries as needed.
  • Powerful Querying
    Objection.js offers powerful querying capabilities with support for eager loading, filtering, and sorting, which are highly customizable and efficient.
  • Compatibility with Knex.js
    Objection.js is built on top of Knex.js, allowing developers to leverage the robust query building of Knex.js while benefiting from Objection's ORM features.
  • JavaScript and TypeScript Support
    With first-class support for both JavaScript and TypeScript, Objection.js is versatile and can fit into projects using either language.
  • Good Documentation
    The library is accompanied by comprehensive documentation, providing detailed guidance and examples for implementation and use.

Possible disadvantages of Objection.js

  • Learning Curve
    Despite its simplicity, understanding its full potential, especially for developers new to ORMs, can take time due to its advanced and flexible feature set.
  • Dependency on Knex.js
    While leveraging Knex.js is a strength, it also means that any limitations or bugs in Knex.js can directly affect the reliability and functionality of Objection.js.
  • Size and Complexity of Projects
    For very simple projects, Objection.js might be considered overkill, providing more functionality than necessary, which can complicate maintenance.
  • No Built-in Migration Tool
    Unlike some ORMs, Objection.js does not include a built-in migration tool, requiring developers to use Knex.js migrations or other tools.
  • Community and Ecosystem
    While active, the community and ecosystem around Objection.js are not as large as some other popular ORMs, potentially limiting third-party extensions and plugins.

Propel ORM videos

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Objection.js videos

✨🐘 08 - Setting up Objection.js for the Home Inventory App | Node.js, Express, Postgres

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Propel ORM and Objection.js)
Web Frameworks
56 56%
44% 44
Development
49 49%
51% 51
Application And Data
62 62%
38% 38
Tool
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Objection.js seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Propel ORM mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Propel ORM yet. Tracking of Propel ORM recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Objection.js mentions (11)

  • Top 6 ORMs for Modern Node.js App Development
    Objection.js is a SQL-friendly ORM for Node.js that supports various relational databases, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite. It provides a flexible and expressive query builder. Objection.js is known for its expressive syntax, allowing developers to build complex queries easily. It supports eager loading, transactions, and migrations. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Best ORM library?
    I don't think there's a best per say, but we did recently use Objection on our project. Did the job well, only issue is there's no constructor for the DB Models but it's just something you work around (https://vincit.github.io/objection.js/). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Simple postgres 'ORM' for node project?
    If you aren't using TypeScript I'd very much recommend Objection.js, I've used it multiple times and no complaints so far. You can pass raw SQL queries to it as well so I'm sure it would be a good fit for your project! Source: over 2 years ago
  • Is it best practice to use classes with extends?
    You should look into Objection.js. IMHO using that will make your life much easier as it seems you are trying to reimplement it's features in this sample code. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Exploring the repository pattern with TypeScript and Node
    Next, let’s set up the database for our newly created Nest application. I’ll be using PostgreSQL, but you can use any of the databases Knex supports. To interact with our database, we’ll be using Objection.js, which is an ORM for Node.js built on top Knex. For this tutorial, we’ll be using Nest Objection, a Nest module for Objection. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Propel ORM and Objection.js, you can also consider the following products

Mikro orm - TypeScript ORM for Node.js based on Data Mapper, Unit of Work and Identity Map patterns.

Beego - Beego Web is official blog and documentation website for beego app web framework

Hibernate - Hibernate an open source Java persistence framework project.

Dapper - Dapper is a user-friendly object mapper for the .NET framework.

DBFlow - DBFlow is a super-fast, feature-rich, and easy-to-use ORM Android database library that automatically writes database-related code.

Doctrine - An object-relational mapper for PHP that provides transparent persistence for PHP objects.