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What Are Esoteric Programming Languages?
Esoteric programming languages are built for fun, art, puzzles or experiments rather than practical work. Learn what defines them and why people make them.
Esoteric Languages
Esoteric Language Basics
What esoteric languages are and a few well known examples.
A Short History of Esoteric Languages
A general, cautious outline of how esoteric programming languages grew from early experiments and jokes into a hobby with tools, contests and communities.
Brainfuck Explained
Brainfuck uses a tape of cells, a movable pointer and just eight commands. See how each command works with a traced example, and how it differs from Befunge.
Choosing Your First Esoteric Language
Not sure which esoteric language to try first? Match a language to your interests, from tape-based Brainfuck to grid-based Befunge and visual puzzles.
The Whitespace Language Explained
Whitespace is an esoteric language whose programs use only spaces, tabs and line feeds. Learn how it works and what that means for reading and editing code.
Why Esoteric Languages Are Hard to Read
Tiny instruction sets, hidden state and unusual layouts make esoteric code opaque. See which design choices cause it and what they teach about readable code.
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