PL/SQL
Shares rank 149 of 163 programming languages by recommenders
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.
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.
7 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 5
- criticize it
- 2
- approval share
- 71%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 5 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 2.5 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 5 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Runs logic inside the database
“PL/SQL is great and using SQL Developer definitely better than smashing strings together.”
Comment from 18 Aug 2026 in “Rethinking Database Programming” “no need to waste network bandwith with what can be done on the database”
Comment from 22 Dec 2025 in “The Rise of SQL:the second programming language everyone needs to know” Familiar and comfortable to work in
“I feel at home in PL/SQL for similar reasons.”
Comment from 7 Mar 2026 in “Ada 2022” “Time to start using plsql”
Comment from 5 Jul 2026 in “What ORMs have taught me: just learn SQL (2014)”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Few facilities for modularity and composition
“Compared to any modern language, the facilities are primitive.”
Comment from 20 Sep 2026 in “We need to stop using Stored Procedures” “PL/SQL is a horrifying language. You have barely any facilities for modularity, encapsulation or composition.”
Comment from 20 Sep 2026 in “We need to stop using Stored Procedures” Harshly criticized as a horrifying language
“PL/SQL is a horrifying language. You have barely any facilities for modularity, encapsulation or composition.”
Comment from 20 Sep 2026 in “We need to stop using Stored Procedures” “PL/SQL is cursed and the unstandardized library system means every DB’s ecosystem is anemic.”
Comment from 18 Aug 2026 in “Rethinking Database Programming”
Other programming languages people recommend
The four most recommended other programming languages, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
See all 163 programming languages, rankedWhat people said
All 9 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Compared to any modern language, the facilities are primitive.”
“You can modularize/encapsulate and compose multiple sql functions.”
“PL/SQL is a horrifying language. You have barely any facilities for modularity, encapsulation or composition.”
“PL/SQL is great and using SQL Developer definitely better than smashing strings together.”
“PL/SQL is cursed and the unstandardized library system means every DB’s ecosystem is anemic.”
“Time to start using plsql”
“I feel at home in PL/SQL for similar reasons.”
“SQL/PSM is a general ISO standard that grew out of Oracle PL/SQL, is rooted in ADA, and is implemented by a large range of databases.”
“no need to waste network bandwith with what can be done on the database”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.