# PL/SQL 5 Hacker News commenters recommended PL/SQL and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months. **Verdict:** People recommend it for writing database logic that runs next to the data, avoiding network round trips and hand-built SQL strings. Critics say its modularity facilities are primitive and its library ecosystem is thin. ## Why people recommend it - Runs logic inside the database (2 comments): "PL/SQL is great and using SQL Developer definitely better than smashing strings together." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49352381)) "no need to waste network bandwith with what can be done on the database" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46358517)) - Familiar and comfortable to work in (2 comments): "I feel at home in PL/SQL for similar reasons." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47285521)) "Time to start using plsql" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48792020)) ## What people warn about - Few facilities for modularity and composition (2 comments): "Compared to any modern language, the facilities are primitive." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49772026)) "PL/SQL is a horrifying language. You have barely any facilities for modularity, encapsulation or composition." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49771954)) - Harshly criticized as a horrifying language (2 comments): "PL/SQL is a horrifying language. You have barely any facilities for modularity, encapsulation or composition." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49771954)) "PL/SQL is cursed and the unstandardized library system means every DB’s ecosystem is anemic." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49352122)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [Rust](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rust.md): 2039 recommend - [Go](https://hackerapproved.com/p/go-programming-language.md): 1254 recommend - [Python](https://hackerapproved.com/p/python.md): 1067 recommend - [Zig](https://hackerapproved.com/p/zig.md): 743 recommend - [TypeScript](https://hackerapproved.com/p/typescript.md): 574 recommend ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "PL/SQL", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pl-sql/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).