Can SQL be a library language?

The article discusses the need for an open-source library ecosystem in SQL, similar to what exists in languages like C++ and Java. It highlights that SQL lacks such a system due to different implementations providing incompatible extension mechanisms and the absence of a package manager. PostGIS is cited as a counterexample, having overcome these issues by targeting a single database management system and becoming popular enough for major vendors to pre-package it. The article suggests that building separate libraries for each SQL implementation could be feasible given the few popular systems in analytical databases. Additionally, dbt's package manager could potentially distribute open-source libraries of user-defined functions. This approach has already begun with Fivetran distributing over 50 data models to customers through dbt package hub.