prql README

The project's README from github.com/PRQL/prql. As one markdown file: README.md.

PRQL

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Pipelined Relational Query Language, pronounced "Prequel".

PRQL is a modern language for transforming data — a simple, powerful, pipelined SQL replacement. Like SQL, it's readable, explicit and declarative. Unlike SQL, it forms a logical pipeline of transformations, and supports abstractions such as variables and functions. It can be used with any database that uses SQL, since it compiles to SQL.

PRQL can be as simple as:

from tracks
filter artist == "Bob Marley"                 # Each line transforms the previous result
aggregate {                                   # `aggregate` reduces each column to a value
  plays    = sum plays,
  longest  = max length,
  shortest = min length,                      # Trailing commas are allowed
}

Here's a larger example of the language:

from employees
filter start_date > @2021-01-01               # Clear date syntax
derive {                                      # `derive` adds columns / variables
  gross_salary = salary + (tax ?? 0),         # Terse coalesce
  gross_cost = gross_salary + benefits_cost,  # Variables can use other variables
}
filter gross_cost > 0
group {title, country} (                      # `group` runs a pipeline over each group
  aggregate {                                 # `aggregate` reduces each group to a value
    average gross_salary,
    sum_gross_cost = sum gross_cost,          # `=` sets a column name
  }
)
filter sum_gross_cost > 100_000               # `filter` replaces both of SQL's `WHERE` & `HAVING`
derive id = f"{title}_{country}"              # F-strings like Python
derive country_code = s"LEFT(country, 2)"     # S-strings allow using SQL as an escape hatch
sort {sum_gross_cost, -country}               # `-country` means descending order
take 1..20                                    # Range expressions (also valid here as `take 20`)

For more on the language, more examples & comparisons with SQL, visit prql-lang.org. To experiment with PRQL in the browser, check out PRQL Playground.

Current Status - July 2026

PRQL is ready to use by the intrepid, either with our supported integrations, or within your own tools, using one of our supported language bindings.

PRQL still has some bugs and some missing features, and is probably only ready to be rolled out to non-technical teams for fairly simple queries.

Development has slowed as we decide how to work on a new resolver, which will let us squash many bugs and simplify our code a lot. It'll also let us scale the language without scaling the complexity of the compiler.

While we figure that out, we're also thinking about:

And:

We're increasingly open to contributions for bigger rewrites of the resolver given how bottlenecked we are on it. If you're interested in contributing, please reach out in an issue or on Discord.

Get involved

To stay in touch with PRQL:

Explore

Repo organization

This repo is composed of:

It also contains our testing / CI infrastructure and development tools. Check out our development docs for more details.

Contributors

Many thanks to those who've made our progress possible:

Contributors

prql (PRQL/prql)

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10.9K ·GitHub
Prql
What is this?PRQL (pronounced 'Prequel') is a modern language for transforming data — a simple, powerful, pipelined replacement for SQL.
How is it different from writing SQL by hand?It stays readable, explicit and declarative like SQL, but a query forms a logical pipeline of transformations and supports abstractions such as variables and functions.
Do I have to install anything to try it?Not to experiment — there is a browser Playground. For real work, add a supported integration like the VS Code extension, Jupyter or QStudio, or use a language binding such as pyprql (Python) or prqlc-js (JavaScript).
Do I need to change my database or switch drivers to use it?No. PRQL compiles to SQL, so it works with any database that uses SQL — nothing on the database side has to change.
Is it safe to bet production queries on it today?It is ready for the intrepid only: there are still bugs and missing features, and it is probably ready for non-technical teams just on fairly simple queries. Development has also slowed while the team redesigns the compiler resolver.
What actually turns my PRQL into SQL?The prqlc compiler, written in Rust, compiles PRQL into SQL. It ships as a CLI together with bindings from various languages.
Is the language still being developed?Yes, but slowly right now: work goes into a new compiler resolver, making supported features robust, filling feature gaps toward nearly all standard SQL queries, and experimental support for modules and multi-file projects.
Can I run PRQL inside Jupyter notebooks?Yes — a Jupyter magic runs PRQL against a database, or against a Pandas DataFrame, CSV or Parquet file through DuckDB. The Python bindings and docs live in the pyprql package.
How is PRQL pronounced?It is short for Pipelined Relational Query Language and is pronounced 'Prequel'.
Where do I learn the language and see more examples?The PRQL Book is the language documentation, and prql-lang.org has more examples and comparisons with SQL.
What are similar projects?dbx, ducklake, polyledger, prefect, marimo, pkl, CalcKernel, coral
Which topics is it in?duckdb, pipeline, data-processing, data, programming-language, vscode, compiler, jupyter notebook, sql, data-science, database, rust
Creator
PRQL
Size
26 MB
Stars
10.9K
Updated
CommitOct 14Release0.13.14Jul 24
Age
4y
Commits · 90 Days