Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include techniques for programming hierarchical schedulers for ports of network devices. A configuration for configuring a hierarchy of a plurality of scheduling nodes of a packet scheduler is received. The packet scheduler is configured to schedule packets for egress out of a port of the network device. The configuration is specified in a human-readable format. Based on the configuration, the packet scheduler of the port is programmed. A plurality of packets are received at a plurality of physical queues communicatively coupled to the packet scheduler. The packet scheduler is used to select a packet in the plurality of packets from a physical queue in the plurality of physical queues. The selected packet is forwarded out the port of the network device.