Description #
Pikalang is an esoteric programming language inspired by the Pokémon character Pikachu, where all commands are variations of the word “pika.”
History #
Created in 2002 by an anonymous developer, Pikalang uses variations of “pika,” “pikachu,” and related sounds to form commands, making it both playful and difficult to read.
Hello World Code #
pika pika pika pikachu pika pika pikachu
pikachu pika pika pikachu pika pika pika
pikachu pikachu pika pika pika pika pika
pikachu pika pikachu pika pika pikachu pika
pikachu pika pikachu pika pika pika pikaHow to Run #
Option 1: Online
No widely available online interpreter; use local tools.
Option 2: Local
Download interpreter from esolang repositories and run source files via command line.
Key Concepts #
- Syntax style: Repetition of Pokémon-inspired words
- Typing discipline: N/A (esoteric)
- Execution model: Interpreter-based
- Common use cases: Esoteric novelty coding
- Toolchain: Custom interpreters
- Paradigms: Minimalist, Turing-complete
- Compilation: None, interpreted
- Strengths: Playful syntax, difficult to read
- Libraries: None
- Community: Very small niche
Try It Online #
No verified online runner available
Fun Facts #
- Pikalang’s commands all revolve around Pikachu’s signature sounds.
- It’s a homage to Pokémon, popular in early 2000s internet culture.
- Despite its simple syntax, it’s Turing-complete.
- Pikalang is considered one of the earliest “animal sound” esolangs.
- It inspired other similar sound-based languages.
