PRQL
Hacker ApprovedRanked 2 of 5 query languages by recommenders
A cleaner, pipelined query language that extends SQL without replacing it, starting with FROM so autocomplete and reading the query both get easier.
A cleaner, pipelined query language that extends SQL without replacing it, starting with FROM so autocomplete and reading the query both get easier.
15 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 15
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 5 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 15 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 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
Cleaner, more readable syntax than SQL
“Just having the `FROM` clause first does wonders for autocomplete.”
Comment from 8 Jan 2026 in “SQL Studio” “See languages like PRQL for better syntax”
Comment from 18 Aug 2026 in “Rethinking Database Programming” “I think the PRQL syntax is beautiful.”
Comment from 23 Feb 2026 in “Pipelined Relational Query Language, Pronounced "Prequel"” Fixes SQL's warts
“It solves all the warts of sql while still being true to its declarative execution.”
Comment from 6 Nov 2025 in “I want a good parallel language [video]” “good fix for nearly everything I dont like about SQL”
Comment from 4 Jun 2026 in “Learn SQL Once, Use It for 30 Years” “This is indeed close to what I want from SQL!”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Waiting for SQL:202y: Group by All” Reusable named subqueries
“PRQL allows defining named subqueries that can be reused, like J1 and J2 in your example.”
Comment from 24 Feb 2026 in “Pipelined Relational Query Language, Pronounced "Prequel"” “cannot build it up piecemeal as easily as something like PRQL”
Comment from 23 Aug 2026 in “Things I want in a modern relational query language” Stays declarative, closer to meaning
“which has a representation closer to the semantic meaning and mostly avoid the big diff in the first place”
Comment from 21 Feb 2026 in “Lexega Turns SQL into Signals” “PRQL is declarative. They are just heeding the maxim "If it's broke, fix it"”
Comment from 23 Feb 2026 in “Pipelined Relational Query Language, Pronounced "Prequel"”
Other query languages people recommend
The four most recommended other query 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 5 query languages, rankedWhat people said
15 of the 18 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“one of the best attempts at a new query language”
“cannot build it up piecemeal as easily as something like PRQL”
“See languages like PRQL for better syntax”
“good fix for nearly everything I dont like about SQL”
“can be useful, to lower the complexity”
“PRQL looks amazing for data analytics agents.”
“PRQL allows defining named subqueries that can be reused, like J1 and J2 in your example.”
“I think the PRQL syntax is beautiful.”
“PRQL is a reasonable approach to extending SQL without replacing SQL.”
“PRQL is declarative. They are just heeding the maxim "If it's broke, fix it"”
“which has a representation closer to the semantic meaning and mostly avoid the big diff in the first place”
“Malloy and PRQL are quite cool”
“Just having the `FROM` clause first does wonders for autocomplete.”
“This is indeed close to what I want from SQL!”
“It solves all the warts of sql while still being true to its declarative execution.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.