The thing is that your proposed language is almost raw code. ;-)

I think that splitting everything up in different layers of abstraction is the way to go. I wasn't criticizing the concept.

This is completely subjective, but I tend to dislike mini-languages. E.g. although I use Template Toolkit, I'd be much happier if it used a slightly modified Perl (which the only major difference would be the removal of curly braces) instead of its own language. I even considered using Template::PSP but it really doesn't have all the features I need.

Going back to the specific example you gave, Class::DBI and Catalyst are substantially different from hand-written SQL and plain CGI coding. While your proposed language is not.

If I were to implement a verification language, the "code" would probably be some sort of subset of YAML (not because it would ease parsing, but because I really like YAML) and look something like this:

# type checking
parameters:
  # + concatenates rules, pad does smart padding
  flight_number:  char(2) + pad(integer(0 .. 9999))
  flight_type:    char(1)
  # variable passed as a parameter to the template
  total_seats:    integer(0 .. :total_seats)
  occupied_seats: integer(0 .. :total_seats)
  # length checks the list, "of string" could be implicit
  passenger_list: list(0 .. :total_seats) of string

# further validation and processing
processing:

  # & references a previously declared field
  # :flights_table could be a list or a hash
  # this might be more appropriate to be on
  # the previous "parameters" instead of here

  - exists &flight_number in :flights_table
  
  # maps the flight type code into a descriptive string
  # using the flight_types hash

  - map &flight_type into :flight_types
  
  # some simple and obvious checks

  - check $occupied_seats < &total_seats
  - check &passenger_list = &occupied_seats

# in-template variable declaration
declare:
  flight_types:
    A: Commercial
    B: Non-Commercial
    C: Cargo
[download]

In fact, I actually really liked this idea. I might consider implementing it, if I have the time. ;-)

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