Examine individual changes

''''Brainball''' is an esoteric programming language where numbers are treated like a physical object (the ball) that you push, teleport, clone, or straight-up steal from other cells until it starts yelling ASCII at the screen. {{infobox proglang |name=Brainball |author=[[User:FordsTheodore|FordsTheodore]] |year=[[:Category:2026|2026]] |class=[[Turing-complete]] |files=<code>.bb</code><code>.txt</code> }} Brainball is built on three core ideas: # Numbers are not abstract, they ''exist somewhere''. # If you want a value, you must ''move it'' or ''clone it''. # Nothing happens implicitly. '''Ever'''. If the pointer isn’t there, the program doesn’t know and doesn’t care. {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Operators |- ! Name !! Description |- | ! / Checkout || Teleport to a cell |- | ? / Step || Move directionally by one cell, direction is based on parameter |- | ^ / Write || Overwrite the current cell's value, new value is based on parameter |- | + / Add || Add the current cell's value by N (user parameter) |- | - / Subtract || Subtract the current cell's value by N (user parameter) |- | = / Clone || Clone the current cell's value and move the clone to a new cell (user parameter) |- | < / Toss || Moves a cell and clears the original |- | > / Echo || Prints an ASCII character based on the current cell's value |- | [] / Cycle || Repeat instructions until the condition becomes false |- | : / Listen || Reads user input (ASCII) and sets a cell's value |- | <nowiki>|</nowiki> / Pipe || Create a new pointer (ID starts at 1) |- | <nowiki>*</nowiki> / Switch || Switch to a pointer |- | <nowiki>#</nowiki> / Destroy || Destroy a pointer (do NOT delete pointer 0) |} == Memory Model == * A finite tape of integer cells, all starting at ''0'' * A single pointer that always points to exactly one cell * Every instruction operates at the pointer unless a cell index is explicitly specified * Negative indices ''are'' allowed, just wrapped * Cells are 16-bit unsigned integers (0 to 65,535). All mathematical operations wrap modulo 65,536 There are no variables, no registers, no stack, and no mercy. Values live in cells and must be physically relocated if you want them elsewhere == Instructions == For the minimal version, see the operators table on the top of the page. === Pointer Movement === * ''?(L)'' - move the pointer one cell to the left. * ''?(R)'' - move the pointer one cell to the right. * ''!(n)'' - instantly teleport the pointer to cell ''n''. Teleportation is intentionally powerful and absolutely abusable. === Value Manipulation === * ''^(n)'' - set the current cell to ''n''. The old value is overwritten and forgotten. * ''+(n)'' - add ''n'' to the current cell. * ''-(n)'' - subtract ''n'' from the current cell. No implicit incrementing. No shortcuts. Just math. === Data Transfer === * ''<(n)'' - ''move'' the value from cell ''n'' into the current cell. The source cell becomes ''0'' * ''=(n)'' - ''clone'' the value from cell ''n'' into the current cell. The source cell survives In Brainball, copying and moving are different actions and pretending otherwise is illegal === I/O === * ''>'' - output the value in the current cell as an ASCII character * '':(cell)'' - read input and store as an ASCII character in a cell Printing does not destroy the value. Brainball is cruel, but not ''that'' cruel also Reading overwrites the old one and '':'' returns 0 for EOF === Loops === * ''[ ... ](condition)'' - repeat the loop body until the condition becomes '''false''' Conditions are checked after each iteration (do–while style) Conditions must reference explicit cells, for example: (cell(0) > 0) (cell(3) != 0) There is no implicit “current cell” keyword. If you want a value, say where it is === Pointer Management === * ''|'' - create a new pointer * ''*(id)'' - switch to an existing pointer * ''#(id)'' - destroy a pointer Brainball will refuse to destroy pointer 0, as this is the kernel pointer. if you try to delete pointer 0, it wont because it refuses to. if <nowiki>*</nowiki>(id) references a pointer that does not exist, the interpreter will automatically switch to the highest-indexed pointer currently available. == Example Programs == no hello world for now because i stupid === Print Five A’s === !(0) ^(5) !(1) ^(65) [ !(1) > !(0) -(1) ](cell(0) > 0) '''Output:''' AAAAA == Design Philosophy == * Data movement is explicit and unavoidable * There is no hidden state and no implied context * Programs should read like instructions shouted at a very literal machine * If something goes wrong, it is almost certainly your fault Brainball is designed to be easy to reason about and annoying to write ''in'' == Notes == * Brainball is not a Brainfuck derivative (almost), despite sharing some punctuation and suffering * Teleportation (''!'') exists because walking everywhere is boring Although Brainball natively operates on integers, floating-point numbers can be emulated by explicitly storing and manipulating IEEE-754-like components (sign, exponent, mantissa) within cells. (this has not been fact checked yet) [[Category:Brainfuck derivatives]] [[Category:Cell-based]] [[Category:2026]] [[Category:Languages]]'