[BiteCode_dev]

In your story, the small language fits local optimum, and becomes popular in its niche where it's good at.

So small languages are not the future, which is what the article suggests.

They are either niche (bash), dead (tcl), or gets big (sql).

[williamcotton]

1.) Bash is not niche.

2.) SQL is not a general purpose programming language and is used as an example of a little language by the author.

I can clearly imagine a future where instead of a few large general purpose languages we have a multitude of niche languages that have better performance characteristics, better tooling and smaller individual learning curves.

[BiteCode_dev]

I won't repeat the other comments I made, but in summary, yes bash is niche, stuck in a local optimum, no sql is not small anymore.