Exclude an exact match
Find records whose scalar field differs from a specified value.
Prisma · Const
not
Prisma's not filter excludes records whose scalar field matches a specified value or condition. On nullable fields, it does not include NULL rows unless an OR branch explicitly includes them.
How it works
Use not inside a scalar field filter to exclude records whose field matches a value or another supported condition. For nullable columns, the filter excludes NULL rows too; combine it with OR when NULL values must also be included.
Syntax
{ not: n }Parameters
| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
n | field value or filter condition | The value or supported field-filter condition that the field must not match. |
Returns
A Prisma Client query result containing records whose field does not match the supplied value or condition.
Key points
- The
notfilter selects records whose field value differs from the supplied value. - A common use is excluding records with one exact scalar value.
- Use
notinside thewhereobject of a Prisma Client query. - Composite type fields use
isNot, not the scalarnotfilter.
Common mistakes
- On nullable columns,
notdoes not include rows whose value is NULL.
Example: Exclude an exact value
const users = await prisma.user.findMany({
where: {
name: { not: "Eleanor" },
},
});This returns users whose name differs from the specified value.
When to use it
Negate a field condition
Filter out records matching a supported string or scalar condition.
Handle nullable fields
Combine exclusion with a null branch when nullable data must remain in the result.
Interview questions
QWhat does Prisma's not filter do?
not is a field-level filter that selects records whose value does not equal the supplied value. For example, name: { not: "Eleanor" } excludes users named Eleanor.
Follow-up: How would you include NULL names too? Add an OR condition containing name: null alongside the not condition.
QWhat happens when not is used on a nullable field?
A nullable column's NULL values are not returned by a not filter. This follows SQL null semantics: NULL is not treated as an ordinary value that differs from the comparison value.
Follow-up: How can you test for records where the field is specifically NULL? Use a field filter with null, such as name: null.
QCan not exclude conditions other than equality?
not can be used with a field filter to exclude an exact value, while Prisma's broader filter operators can express negated conditions such as a value not containing a string. The exact syntax depends on the field's supported filter type.
Follow-up: How can multiple negated conditions be combined? Use the logical NOT operator for compound conditions.
Related
ORNOTisNotequalscontains