You Don't Need an ORM - Database Access with Squirrel in Gleam

Explore an alternative approach to database access in functional programming through this 21-minute conference talk from Lambda Days 2025. Learn why Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) libraries may not be the optimal solution for bridging databases and application code, and discover how embracing SQL directly can lead to better developer experience. Examine the challenges of using SQL from other programming languages, including type conversion difficulties and schema synchronization issues that ORMs attempt to solve by abstracting away SQL entirely. Investigate Squirrel, a database access library for Gleam (a functional, statically-typed language), and understand how code generation from raw SQL can effectively bridge the gap between databases and functional languages. Gain insights into maintaining type-safety, performance, and developer experience without sacrificing the power and expressiveness of SQL, and see how this approach aligns with the principle of using the right language for each specific task.