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🧮 BinaryFuck — Brainfuck, But Written in Only 0 and 1

What is BinaryFuck?

BinaryFuck is an esoteric variant of Brainfuck where all eight commands are represented entirely using binary numbers (0s and 1s). Instead of symbols like >, <, +, -, or ., each Brainfuck instruction is mapped to a three-bit binary pattern. This means BinaryFuck code looks like a long stream of zeros and ones, similar to raw machine code or encrypted text.

The language is intentionally difficult to read and write, even for people familiar with Brainfuck. The goal was to take the minimalist torture of Brainfuck and make it even more abstract and machine-like.

Specs

Language Type: Esoteric / Minimalist

Style: Brainfuck variant

Syntax: Only binary digits (0 and 1)

Execution Model: Memory-tape pointer system

Readability: Extremely low

Instruction Mapping

Each 3-bit pattern represents one Brainfuck operation:

000 = > (move pointer right)

001 = < (move pointer left)

010 = + (increment cell)

011 = - (decrement cell)

100 = . (output)

101 = , (input)

110 = (start loop)

111 =

This means every Brainfuck program is 3× larger in code length when converted to BinaryFuck.

CODE EXAMPLE (Hello World)

(The original Hello World program becomes extremely long.)

010010010010010010010110000000010010110010010110010110010110000000010100000000010010110010010110010110010110100010011011
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This wall of binary prints:

Hello World

How It Works

  • The interpreter reads bits in groups of three.
  • Each group maps to one Brainfuck instruction.
  • The program runs identically to Brainfuck, just encoded differently.
  • Loops function the same way but are harder to track due to repetitive binary.

Writing even a small program requires either automation or extreme patience.

Strengths

  • Pure binary aesthetic appeals to low-level programming fans.
  • Makes Brainfuck feel even more like machine instructions.
  • A fun challenge for encoding and decoding logic puzzles.
  • Good exercise for understanding low-level symbolic mapping.

Weaknesses

  • Almost impossible to read or debug manually.
  • Slight mistakes in bit alignment can break the entire program.
  • Even small programs require long binary strings.
  • No practical development use.

Where to Run

BinaryFuck interpreters exist online, especially on TIO.run and niche GitHub repositories.

Should You Learn It?

For real-world programming: No

For decoding puzzles or esolang collection: Yes

For masochistic fun: Yes

For readable, maintainable code: Never

Summary

BinaryFuck takes the minimalism of Brainfuck and transforms it into pure binary form. It retains full functionality while removing all visual clues, leaving behind a raw stream of 0s and 1s. It represents how far minimalism and abstraction can go — turning programming into an exercise of encoding, patience, and absurdity.

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