Which approaches to working with a database are considered more efficient: using ORM or direct manipulation of SQL queries?

The choice between ORM and direct SQL queries depends on the task and performance requirements.

• ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) simplifies working with the database, allows writing code in a programming language, and automatically generates SQL. This speeds up development and reduces errors.

• Direct SQL queries provide full control over the queries, allow manual optimization, which can improve performance, especially for complex or specific operations.

In general:

• ORM is sufficient and convenient for most standard operations.
• For performance-critical sections, it is better to use optimized SQL queries.

In Node.js, ORM (e.g., Sequelize) is often combined with direct queries via sequelize.query() or other drivers.

Example of a direct query using Sequelize:

const [results, metadata] = await sequelize.query("SELECT * FROM Users WHERE age > :age", {
  replacements: { age: 18 },
  type: sequelize.QueryTypes.SELECT
});

Thus, ORM offers convenience and speed of development, while direct SQL provides maximum performance and control.