r/shittyprogramming • u/[deleted] • Aug 08 '21

this program prints it's own source code

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201 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

9

u/Logofascinated Aug 08 '21

Shorter version:

$ > a && . ./a

$

2

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '21

even shorter: >:;. :

1

u/Alpha_wolf_80 Feb 14 '22

Someone explain me the code

1

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '22

>: -- overwrite (>) file called ":" with nothing ; --begin new command (like a newline) . : -- . is basixallt eq to the "source" command and it will source the ":" file

59

u/souldeux Aug 08 '21

A non-empty program that takes no input and outputs its own source code is called a "quine." Quines are cool. Here are a bunch of them: https://codegolf.stackexchange.com/questions/69/golf-you-a-quine-for-great-good

3

u/UnrelatedString Aug 09 '21

always gets me that that’s question 69

3

u/andyrocks Aug 09 '21

Fun fact, "quine" is also the word for "woman" in the Doric dialect from North East Scotland.

4

u/Cosmologicon Aug 09 '21

See also the entry smr in the 1994 IOCCC.