The process whose specific outcome is the progression of the cerebellar granule layer over time, from its formation to the mature structure. The granular layer is the innermost layer of the cerebellar cortex. This layer contains densely packed small neurons, mostly granule cells. Some Golgi cells are found at the outer border. Granule neurons send parallel fibers to the upper molecular layer, where they synapse with Purkinje cell dendrites. Mossy fibers from the pontine nuclei in the white matter synapse with granule cell axons, Golgi cell axons and unipolar brush interneuron axons at cerebellar glomeruli in the granule cell layer.