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🦧 Ook! — The Programming Language Written for Orangutans

#watercooler #programming #coding

What is Ook?

Ook! is an esoteric programming language created by David Morgan-Mar as a parody of Brainfuck. The idea is that the language should be easy for orangutans to program — but impossible for humans to read. Instead of symbols like + - [ ] . and >, Ook! replaces every operation with combinations of the words “Ook.”, “Ook?”, and “Ook!”.

The language structure is simple: every Brainfuck instruction is rewritten as a pair of Ook phrases. This makes the code longer, funnier, and significantly harder to read, even though it behaves exactly like Brainfuck underneath.

Specs

Language Type: Joke / Esoteric

Released: 2001

Creator: David Morgan-Mar

Execution Model: One-to-one mapping to Brainfuck

Typing: Memory tape manipulation

Purpose: Humor and parody

CODE EXAMPLE (Hello World) 

Ook. Ook?
Ook? Ook.
Ook! Ook!
Ook! Ook.
Ook. Ook!
Ook. Ook?
Ook? Ook!
Ook! Ook?
Ook! Ook.
Ook. Ook?
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(This prints “Hello World” using typical interpreters.)

How It Works

  • Each command is represented by a two-token phrase:
    • Example: Ook. Ook? = move pointer right
    • Ook? Ook. = move pointer left
    • Ook. Ook! = increment
    • Ook! Ook. = decrement
    • Ook! Ook! = print
  • Because there are only three tokens, but eight commands needed, pairs are required.
  • Code size is doubled compared to Brainfuck.
  • Reading it feels like deciphering monkey language — intentionally.

Although it appears ridiculous, the underlying computational model remains mathematically complete.

Strengths

  • Very funny for programmers who already know Brainfuck.
  • Easy mapping makes it predictable (once learned).
  • Good for teaching abstract machine instructions in a silly way.
  • One of the most iconic joke languages.

Weaknesses

  • Verbose and repetitive.
  • Hard to read or debug.
  • Useless for real applications.
  • Best appreciated only if you already understand Brainfuck.

Where to Run

Ook! interpreters are available on GitHub and supported on TIO.run. There are also visual tools that animate program flow for learning.

Should You Learn It?

For a job: No

For humor and novelty: Yes

For understanding esoteric syntax mapping: Yes

For maintainable code: No

Summary

Ook! is a playful parody language that turns Brainfuck instructions into comedic orangutan-style dialogue. It is intentionally awkward, repetitive, and hilarious — proving that programming languages can be absurd while still being technically functional. Ook! remains a classic example of how creativity and humor can reshape even the simplest computational models.

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