mame/quine-relay

Quine Relay

What this is

QR.rb is a Ruby program that generates a Rust program that generates a Scala program that generates ...(through 128 languages in total)... a REXX program that generates the original Ruby code again.

(If you want to see the old 50-language version, see the 50 branch.)

Usage

Ubuntu

If you are using Ubuntu 25.10 (Questing Quokka), you can follow these steps.

1. Install all the interpreters/compilers.

First, you need to type the following apt-get command to install them all.

$ sudo apt-get install afnix algol68g aplus-fsf aspectj asymptote \
  ats2-lang bash bc bsh clisp clojure cmake coffeescript crystal dc \
  dhall dotnet8 elixir emacs-nox erlang execline f2c fish flex \
  fp-compiler g++ gambas3-gb-pcre gambas3-scripter gap gawk gcc gdb gdc \
  genius gforth gfortran ghc ghostscript gm2 gnat gnucobol4 gnuplot \
  gobjc golang gpt groovy guile-3.0 gzip haxe icont iconx intercal \
  iverilog jasmin-sable jq kotlin ksh libevent-dev libpolyml-dev \
  livescript llvm lua5.3 m4 make minizinc mono-devel nasm neko nickle \
  nim node-typescript nodejs ocaml octave openjdk-11-jdk pari-gp \
  parser3-cgi perl php-cli pike8.0 polyml python3 r-base rakudo ratfor \
  rc regina-rexx ruby ruby-mustache rustc scala scilab-cli sed slsh spin \
  squirrel3 surgescript swi-prolog swiftlang tcl tcsh valac vim wabt \
  xsltproc yabasic yorick zoem zsh

Then, build the bundled interpreters.

$ sudo apt-get install cmake libpng-dev libgd-dev groff bison curl
$ make -C vendor

2. Run each program on each interpreter/compiler.

$ ulimit -s unlimited
$ ruby QR.rb > QR.rs
$ rustc QR.rs && ./QR > QR.scala
$ scalac QR.scala && scala QR > QR.scm
$ guile QR.scm > QR.sci
$ scilab-cli -nb -f QR.sci > QR.sed
$ sed -E -f QR.sed QR.sed > QR.spl
$ spl2c < QR.spl > QR.spl.c && gcc -z muldefs -o QR -I ./vendor/local/include -L ./vendor/local/lib QR.spl.c -lspl -lm &&
  ./QR > QR.sl
$ slsh QR.sl > QR.nut
$ squirrel QR.nut > QR.sml
$ polyc -o QR QR.sml && ./QR > QR.sq
$ ruby vendor/subleq.rb QR.sq > QR.ss
$ surgescript QR.ss > QR.swift
$ swiftc QR.swift && ./QR > QR.tcl
$ tclsh QR.tcl > QR.tcsh
$ tcsh QR.tcsh > QR.t
$ ruby vendor/thue.rb QR.t > QR.ts
$ tsc --outFile QR.ts.js QR.ts && nodejs QR.ts.js > QR.unl
$ ruby vendor/unlambda.rb QR.unl > QR.vala
$ valac QR.vala && ./QR > QR.mid
$ mono vendor/local/bin/Vlt.exe /s QR.mid && mono QR.exe > QR.v
$ iverilog -o QR QR.v && ./QR -vcd-none > QR.vim
$ vim -EsS QR.vim > QR.vb
$ echo '<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk"><PropertyGroup><OutputType>Exe</OutputType><TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework><EnableDefaultCompileItems>false</EnableDefaultCompileItems></PropertyGroup><ItemGroup><Compile Include="QR.vb" /></ItemGroup></Project>' > tmp.vbproj &&
  DOTNET_NOLOGO=1 dotnet run --project tmp.vbproj > QR.wasm
$ $(WASI_RUNTIME) QR.wasm > QR.wat
$ wat2wasm QR.wat -o QR.wat.wasm && $(WASI_RUNTIME) QR.wat.wasm > QR.ws
$ ruby vendor/whitespace.rb QR.ws > QR.xslt
$ xsltproc QR.xslt > QR.yab
$ yabasic QR.yab > QR.yorick
$ yorick -batch QR.yorick > QR.azm
$ zoem -i QR.azm > QR.zsh
$ zsh QR.zsh > QR.+
$ a+ QR.+ > qr.adb
$ gnatmake qr.adb && ./qr > QR.als
$ LANG=C LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/afnix axi QR.als > QR.aheui
$ ruby vendor/aheui.rb QR.aheui > QR.a68
$ a68g QR.a68 > QR.ante
$ ruby vendor/ante.rb QR.ante > QR.aj
$ ajc QR.aj && java QR > QR.asy
$ asy QR.asy > QR.dats
$ patscc -o QR QR.dats && ./QR > QR.awk
$ awk -f QR.awk > QR.bash
$ bash QR.bash > QR.bc
$ BC_LINE_LENGTH=4000000 bc -q QR.bc > QR.bsh
$ bsh QR.bsh > QR.bef
$ cfunge QR.bef > QR.Blc
$ ruby vendor/blc.rb < QR.Blc > QR.bf
$ ruby vendor/bf.rb QR.bf > QR.c
$ gcc -o QR QR.c && ./QR > QR.cpp
$ g++ -o QR QR.cpp && ./QR > QR.cs
$ echo '<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk"><PropertyGroup><OutputType>Exe</OutputType><TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework><EnableDefaultCompileItems>false</EnableDefaultCompileItems></PropertyGroup><ItemGroup><Compile Include="QR.cs" /></ItemGroup></Project>' > tmp.csproj &&
  DOTNET_NOLOGO=1 dotnet run --project tmp.csproj > QR.chef
$ PERL5LIB=vendor/local/lib/perl5 compilechef QR.chef QR.chef.pl &&
  perl QR.chef.pl > QR.clj
$ clojure QR.clj > QR.cmake
$ cmake -P QR.cmake > QR.cob
$ cobc -O2 -x QR.cob && ./QR > QR.coffee
$ coffee --nodejs --stack_size=100000 QR.coffee > QR.lisp
$ clisp QR.lisp > QR.cr
$ crystal QR.cr > QR.d
$ gdc -o QR QR.d && ./QR > QR.dc
$ dc QR.dc > QR.dhall || true
$ dhall text --file QR.dhall > QR.exs
$ elixir QR.exs > QR.el
$ emacs -Q --script QR.el > QR.erl
$ escript QR.erl > QR.e
$ execlineb QR.e > QR.fsx
$ echo '<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk"><PropertyGroup><OutputType>Exe</OutputType><TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework><EnableDefaultCompileItems>false</EnableDefaultCompileItems></PropertyGroup><ItemGroup><Compile Include="QR.fsx" /></ItemGroup></Project>' > tmp.fsproj &&
  DOTNET_NOLOGO=1 dotnet run --project tmp.fsproj > QR.false
$ ruby vendor/false.rb QR.false > QR.fl
$ flex -o QR.fl.c QR.fl && gcc -o QR QR.fl.c && ./QR > QR.fish
$ fish QR.fish > QR.fs
$ gforth QR.fs > QR.f
$ gfortran -o QR QR.f && ./QR > QR.f90
$ gfortran -o QR QR.f90 && ./QR > QR.gbs
$ gbs3 QR.gbs > QR.g
$ gap -q QR.g > QR.gdb
$ gdb -q -x QR.gdb > QR.gel
$ genius QR.gel > QR.plt
$ gnuplot QR.plt > QR.go
$ go run QR.go > QR.gs
$ ruby vendor/golfscript.rb QR.gs > QR.gpt
$ mv QR.c QR.c.bak && gpt -t QR.c QR.gpt && gcc -o QR QR.c && ./QR > QR.grass &&
  mv QR.c.bak QR.c
$ ruby vendor/grass.rb QR.grass > QR.groovy
$ groovy QR.groovy > QR.gz
$ gzip -cd QR.gz > QR.hs
$ rm -f QR.o && ghc QR.hs && ./QR > QR.hx
$ haxe -main QR -neko QR.n && neko QR.n > QR.icn
$ icont -s QR.icn && ./QR > QR.i
$ ick -bfOc QR.i && gcc -std=c99 -static QR.c -I /usr/include/ick-* -o QR -lick &&
  ./QR > QR.j
$ jasmin QR.j && java QR > QR.java
$ javac QR.java && java QR > QR.js
$ nodejs QR.js > QR.jq
$ jq -r -n -f QR.jq > QR.jsfuck
$ nodejs --stack_size=100000 QR.jsfuck > QR.kt
$ kotlinc QR.kt -include-runtime -d QR.jar && kotlin QR.jar > QR.ksh
$ ksh QR.ksh > QR.lazy
$ lazyk QR.lazy > QR.ls
$ lsc QR.ls > QR.ll
$ llvm-as QR.ll && lli QR.bc > QR.lol
$ lci QR.lol > QR.lua
$ lua5.3 QR.lua > QR.m4
$ m4 QR.m4 > QR.mk
$ make -f QR.mk > QR.mzn
$ minizinc --solver COIN-BC --soln-sep '' QR.mzn > QR.mod
$ gm2 -fiso QR.mod -o QR && ./QR > QR.il
$ ilasm QR.il && mono QR.exe > QR.mustache
$ mustache QR.mustache QR.mustache > QR.asm
$ nasm -felf QR.asm && ld -m elf_i386 -o QR QR.o && ./QR > QR.neko
$ nekoc QR.neko && neko QR.n > QR.5c
$ nickle QR.5c > QR.nim
$ nim compile QR.nim && ./QR > QR.m
$ gcc -o QR QR.m && ./QR > QR.ml
$ ocaml QR.ml > QR.octave
$ mv QR.m QR.m.bak && octave -qf QR.octave > QR.ook && mv QR.m.bak QR.m
$ ruby vendor/ook-to-bf.rb QR.ook QR.ook.bf && ruby vendor/bf.rb QR.ook.bf > QR.gp
$ gp -f -q QR.gp > QR.p
$ parser3 QR.p > QR.pas
$ fpc QR.pas && ./QR > QR.pl
$ perl QR.pl > QR.pl6
$ perl6 QR.pl6 > QR.php
$ php QR.php > QR.png
$ npiet QR.png > QR.pike
$ pike QR.pike > QR.ps
$ gs -dNODISPLAY -q QR.ps > QR.prolog
$ swipl -q -t qr -f QR.prolog > QR.pr
$ spin -T QR.pr > QR.py
$ python3 QR.py > QR.R
$ R --slave -f QR.R > QR.ratfor
$ ratfor -o QR.ratfor.f QR.ratfor && gfortran -o QR QR.ratfor.f &&
  ./QR > QR.rc
$ rc QR.rc > QR.rexx
$ rexx ./QR.rexx > QR2.rb

You will see that QR.rb is the same as QR2.rb.

$ diff QR.rb QR2.rb

Alternatively, just type make.

$ make

Note: It may take a lot of memory to compile some files.

Docker

Simply build the image and run a container as follows:

$ docker build -t qr .
$ docker run --privileged --rm -e CI=true qr

Note: You must run in privileged mode, otherwise the maxima command will fail.

If you want to check the generated files, you can mount the local directory in the Docker container (but still use the vendor directory of the container), as follows:

$ docker run --privileged --rm -e CI=true -v $(pwd):/usr/local/share/quine-relay -v /usr/local/share/quine-relay/vendor qr

Other platforms

You may find instructions for other platforms in the wiki.

If you do not use these Linux distributions, please find your own way. If you manage it, please let me know. I wish you good luck.

Interpreter/compiler versions tested

I used the following Ubuntu deb packages to test this program.

Note that some languages are not available in Ubuntu (marked as N/A). This repository contains their implementations in vendor/. See also vendor/README for detail.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Why?

A. Take your pick.

Q. How?

A. Good news: I have published a book, "The World of Obfuscated, Esoteric, Artistic Programming". It explains how to write a quine, an ascii-art quine, and an uroboros quine like this quine-relay. You can buy my book on amazon.co.jp.

(It also contains my almost all of my (about forty) works, including alphabet-only Ruby program, radiation-hardened quine, etc., and explains many techniques for writing such programs.)

Bad news: It is written in Japanese. I hope you can translate it into English and help me earn royalties.

Q. Language XXX is missing!

A. See the language inclusion criteria in detail. (In short, please create a deb package and contribute it to Ubuntu.)

See also :heart:.

Q. Does it really work?

A.

Q. How long did it take you?

A. Are you trying to cross the world line?

Q. The code does not fit in my screen!

A. Here you go.

Q. How was the code generated?

A.

$ sudo apt-get install rake ruby-cairo ruby-rsvg2 ruby-gdk-pixbuf2 \
  optipng advancecomp ruby-chunky-png
$ cd src
$ rake clobber
$ rake

History

for Ubuntu 13.04

50 languages

Added: Ruby, Scala, Scheme, bash, Smalltalk, Unlambda, Tcl, Whitespace, Verilog, Vala, Ada, ALGOL 68, Awk, Brainfuck, Boo, C, C++, C#, Cobol, Clojure, Fortran90, FORTRAN77, Forth, Common Lisp, CoffeeScript, Groovy, Go, INTERCAL, Icon, Haskell, Jasmin, Java, LLVM asm, Logo, Lua, Makefile, MSIL, Objective-C, JavaScript, OCaml, Octave, Parrot asm, Pascal, Perl, PHP, Pike, Prolog, Python, R, REXX

for Ubuntu 13.10

50 languages

for Ubuntu 14.04

50 languages

for Ubuntu 14.10

64 languages

Added: Scilab, S-Lang, SPL, LOLCODE, Maxima, NASM, Neko, Nickle, Ook!, PARI/GP, Piet, PPT (Punched tape), PostScript, Ratfor

for Ubuntu 15.04

100 languages

Added: Subleq, Standard ML, Thue, Visual Basic, XSLT, Yorick, Zoem, A+, AFNIX, Ante, Asymptote, ATS, BLC8, Befunge, bc, Chef, CDuce, D, dc, eC, Emacs Lisp, Erlang, F#, Falcon, FALSE, Gambas script, GAP, GEL (Genius), Gnuplot, G-Portugol, Gri, Haxe, Julia, Lisaac, Lazy K, Kaya

for Ubuntu 15.10

100 languages

Removed: Boo, Falcon, Kaya

Added: Elixir, Jq, Nim

for Ubuntu 16.04

100 languages

for Ubuntu 17.04

100 languages

Removed: SPL, Gri, Logo, Parrot asm

Added: Squirrel, Dafny, Grass, MiniZinc

for Ubuntu 17.10

100 languages

Removed: CDuce

Added: Rust

for Ubuntu 18.04

128 languages

Removed: Gambas script, Perl

Added: Shakespeare, sed, tcsh, TypeScript, Velato, Vimscript, Yabasic, zsh, Aheui, AspectC++, AspectJ, BeanShell, CMake, Flex, Fish, GDB, GolfScript, Gzip, Gri, JSFuck, ksh, LiveScript, M4, Mustache, nesC, Parser 3, Perl 5, Perl 6, Promela (Spin), rc

for Ubuntu 19.04

128 languages

Removed: Scilab, G-Portugol, nesC

Added: Curry, Gambas script, GeneratorScriptingLanguage

for Ubuntu 19.10

128 languages

Removed: Gri

Added: Scilab

for Ubuntu 20.04

128 languages

for Ubuntu 20.10

128 languages

Removed: AspectC++, eC

Added: SurgeScript, Dhall

for Ubuntu 21.04

128 languages

Removed: Curry

Added: G-Portugol

for Ubuntu 21.10

128 languages

for Ubuntu 22.04

128 languages

Removed: Julia, Nim, Pike

Added: WebAssembly (Text format), WebAssembly (Binary format), Kotlin

for Ubuntu 22.10

128 languages

for Ubuntu 23.04

128 languages

Removed: Squirrel, GeneratorScriptingLanguage

Added: Crystal, Nim

for Ubuntu 23.10

128 languages

Removed: Smalltalk

Added: Modula-2

for Ubuntu 24.04

128 languages

Removed: PPT (Punched tape)

Added: Pike

for Ubuntu 24.10

128 languages

Removed: Dafny, Maxima

Added: Execline, Squirrel

for Ubuntu 25.04

128 languages

for Ubuntu 25.10

128 languages

Removed: Lisaac

Added: Swift

License

The MIT License applies to all resources except the files in the vendor/ directory.

The files in the vendor/ directory are from third-parties and are distributed under different licenses. See vendor/README in detail.

---

The MIT License (MIT)

Copyright (c) 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Yusuke Endoh (@mametter), @hirekoke

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.