# Better Auth Bug Report: Email Verification Not Creating Database Records

## Summary

Better Auth is successfully sending verification emails and the verification flow works end-to-end, but **no verification records are being created in the database**. This prevents database hooks from firing and makes it impossible to implement custom logic based on email verification events.

## Environment

- **Better Auth Version**: 1.2.10
- **Database**: PostgreSQL (Neon)
- **ORM**: Prisma 6.10.1
- **Adapter**: Prisma Adapter
- **Plugins**: nextCookies() only

## Expected Behavior

According to Better Auth documentation:

1. When `sendVerificationEmail` is called, a verification record should be created in the database
2. The `databaseHooks.verification.create.after` hook should fire
3. Verification records should be visible in the verification table

## Actual Behavior

1. ✅ `sendVerificationEmail` function is called successfully
2. ✅ Verification emails are sent and received
3. ✅ Email verification links work and users can verify their emails
4. ❌ **No records are created in the verification table**
5. ❌ `databaseHooks.verification.create.after` never fires

## Database Schema

### Current Verification Table (Prisma)

```prisma
model Verification {
  id         String   @id @default(dbgenerated("gen_random_uuid()")) @db.Uuid
  identifier String
  value      String
  expiresAt  DateTime
  createdAt  DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt  DateTime @updatedAt

  @@map("verification")
}
```

### Better Auth Configuration

```typescript
export const auth = betterAuth({
  database: prismaAdapter(db),
  user: {
    modelName: 'User',
  },
  advanced: {
    database: {
      generateId: false, // Using database-generated UUIDs
    },
  },
  emailVerification: {
    sendVerificationEmail: async ({ user, url, token }, _request) => {
      // This function IS being called successfully
      await sendEmail(
        user.email,
        'Verify your email address',
        `
        <p>Hello ${user.name},</p>
        <p>Please verify your email address by clicking the link below:</p>
        <a href="${url}">Verify Email</a>
      `
      );
    },
    sendOnSignUp: true,
    autoSignInAfterVerification: true,
    expiresIn: 3600,
  },
  databaseHooks: {
    verification: {
      create: {
        after: async (verification, _ctx) => {
          // This hook NEVER fires
          console.log('Verification created', verification);
        },
      },
    },
  },
});
```

## Debugging Evidence

### 1. Email Function is Called

The `sendVerificationEmail` function logs show it's being called with correct parameters:

```
✅ user: { id: "...", email: "user@example.com", ... }
✅ url: "http://localhost:3000/api/auth/verify-email?token=..."
✅ token: "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9..."
```

### 2. Database Table is Empty

```sql
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM verification;
-- Result: 0 (always empty, even during active verification flow)
```

### 3. Hook Never Fires

The `databaseHooks.verification.create.after` hook never executes, confirming no database records are being created.

### 4. Schema Matches Documentation

Our verification table schema matches the Better Auth documentation exactly:

- ✅ All required fields present
- ✅ Correct field types
- ✅ Proper table mapping

## Additional Context

### Schema Generation

When running `npx @better-auth/cli generate`, Better Auth generates this exact schema:

```prisma
model Verification {
  id         String    @id
  identifier String
  value      String
  expiresAt  DateTime
  createdAt  DateTime?
  updatedAt  DateTime?
  @@map("verification")
}
```

### Other Tables Work Fine

- ✅ User records are created successfully
- ✅ Session records are created successfully
- ✅ Account records are created successfully
- ❌ **Only verification table remains empty**

## Hypothesis

Better Auth appears to be using a stateless verification mechanism (possibly JWT tokens) instead of database storage for email verification, despite the documentation indicating database records should be created.

## Questions for Better Auth Team

1. Is email verification supposed to create database records?
2. Are there specific configuration requirements for database-backed verification?
3. Is there a difference between stateless vs database verification modes?
4. Should `databaseHooks.verification.create.after` fire for email verification?

---

**Note**: This issue prevents implementing features that depend on verification events, such as triggering automated processes when users verify their email addresses.