A two-dimensional language

Befunge · Lesson 1 · On the house

A two-dimensional language

IP moves on a playfield. Lesson 1 is free — on the house.

Lessons · Befunge · Lesson 1 of 10 · On the house

A two-dimensional language

IP moves on a playfield.

Illustration for the Befunge course — Lesson 1 is on the house. The rest opens with the paper, the Daily, or a gift.

This is Befunge · introductory, lesson 1: A two-dimensional language. Read the teaching and the stills before the checks. The quizzes are open book and test the subject — Befunge itself — not product rules or layout trivia.

Befunge is a 2D esoteric language. The instruction pointer (IP) moves on a grid.

Directions change how code flows — not only top-to-bottom.

The playfield is both code and data in classic Befunge-93.

Match the still's mental model.

2d

# Befunge playfield
# IP moves: > < ^ v

Match this when you type. Open book.

Sit with that still. Trace it top to bottom. Name each piece. The exercise asks you to match its essence.

If something fails when you try it yourself, change one thing. Read the error. Return to the still. I will not rush you.

Quiz

What is distinctive about Befunge?

Code lives on a 2D playfield with a moving IP
It is only 1D like C
It is a spreadsheet UI
It is CSS Grid only

Quiz

What do > < ^ v typically do?

Change IP direction
Allocate heap
Open sockets
Compile Java

Quiz

Is the playfield only code in classic Befunge?

It is code and data together
Only comments
Only fonts
Only DNS

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

2D IP.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

Directions.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

Code+data.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

2D IP.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

Directions.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Quiz

Based on today's teaching, which claim is right?

Code+data.
The opposite of what the lesson said
The lesson forbade this topic
None of the subject material applies

Check

Match the still for: A two-dimensional language.

That is the lesson. When every quiz and exercise on this page is green, mark it passed. Next lesson when you are ready.

Open-book: the answers are on this page. Pass every quiz and check (10) to mark the lesson done. This visit: 0/10.

A two-dimensional language · Befunge (free) — The Gold Standard