The revenge of SQL: How a 50-year-old language reinvents itself

SQL is experiencing a renaissance driven by three converging trends: client-side SQL via WebAssembly (PGlite, SQLite in the browser) combined with sync engines like ElectricSQL enabling local-first architectures; improved developer-friendly SQL clients like Drizzle, jOOQ, and Exposed that offer type safety without heavy ORM abstraction; and PostgreSQL's JSONB type that blends relational integrity with schemaless flexibility. The piece argues that NoSQL's 'schemaless' promise was an illusion—the schema just moved into application code—while SQL's enforced structure is actually a feature that promotes better system design. The Lindy Effect suggests SQL's longevity comes from adaptability, not stubbornness.