DTL: a language and JavaScript lib to transform and manipulate data

In plain words

DTL is a language and JavaScript library for transforming and manipulating data through portable, reusable rules. Developers can define data transformation rules dynamically, store them in databases, and apply them to unanticipated use cases while maintaining predictable, safe execution. Originally built for a startup's internal needs, the language has operated reliably in production systems for years and is now released as an open-source tool designed for accessibility and ease of use.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

DTL is a powerful data manipulation toolset that allows you to extract, manipulate, and transform data on the command line, in your node.js code, on the server, or even in the browser. You can use DTL to describe how to transform one set of data into another, validate input data, or perform complex calculations. DTL also includes powerful CLI tools for transforming data in bulk ( dtl ) and for exploring the syntax ( dtlr ). The dtl command line tool lets you process data in bulk, sifting, sorting, grouping and performing complex data manipulation. It's great for things like data migration, batch processing or cross-application bulk data transformation. The dtl tool is like having all the…from getdtl.org

In the maker’s words, at launch

DTL is a project that began it's life as part of a another piece of software for a startup I founded a few years ago. For that project I needed a way to describe how to rewrite data in a portable way. I needed to be able to create the rules on the fly and store them in a database, I needed them to be able to describe…

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