Evolution of "Hello World!"

Question

This contest is officially over, the winner is jimmy23013. Congratulations!

The challenge is to make a program that prints Hello World! to stdout. The catch is that your program must have a Levenshtein distance of 7 or less from the program in the answer submitted before yours.

How This Will Work

Below I have already submitted the first answer using Python: print("Hello World!").

The next person to answer must modify the string print("Hello World!") with up to 7 single character insertions, deletions, or substitutions so that when it is run in any language that hasn't been used so far (only Python in this case) the output is still Hello World!.

For example the second answerer might use 1 substitution (r -> u), 2 deletions (in), and 1 insertion (s) to make the string puts("Hello World!") which prints Hello World! when run in Ruby.

The third person to answer must do the same thing in a new language, but using the program of the second person's answer (e.g. puts("Hello World!")) as their starting point. The fourth answer will be in relation to the third answer and so on.

This will continue on until everyone get stuck because there is no new language the last answer's program can be made to run in by only changing 7 characters. The communal goal is to see how long we can keep this up, so try not to make any obscure or unwarranted character edits (this is not a requirement however).

Formatting

Please format your post like this:

# Answer N - [language]

    [code]

[notes, explanation, observations, whatever]

Where N is the answer number (increases incrementally, N = 1, 2, 3,...).

You do not have to tell which exact characters were changed. Just make sure the Levenshtein distance is from 0 to 7.

Rules

The key thing to understand about this challenge is that only one person can answer at a time and each answer depends on the one before it.

There should never be two answers with the same N. If two people happen to simultaneously answer for some N, the one who answered later (even if it's a few seconds difference) should graciously delete their answer.

Furthermore...

• A user may only submit one answer per 8 hour period. i.e. Each of your answers must be at least 8 hours apart. (This is to prevent users from constantly watching the question and answering as much as possible.)
• A user may not submit two answers in a row. (e.g. since I submitted answer 1 I can't do answer 2, but I could do 3.)
• Each answer must be in a different programming language.
  • Different versions of the same language count as the same language.
  • Languages count as distinct if they are traditionally called by two different names. (There may be some ambiguities here but don't let that ruin the contest.)
• You may only use tabs, newlines, and printable ASCII. (Newlines count as one character.)
• The output should only be Hello World! and no other characters (a leading/trailing newline is not an issue).
• If your language doesn't has stdout use whatever is commonly used for quickly outputting text (e.g. console.log or alert in JavaScript).

Please make sure your answer is valid. We don't want to realize there's a break in the chain five answers up. Invalid answers should be fixed quickly or deleted before there are additional answers.

Don't edit answers unless absolutely necessary.

Scoring

Once things settle down, the user who submits the most (valid) answers wins. Ties go to the user with the most cumulative up-votes.

Leaderboard: (out of date)

(user must have at least 2 valid answers)

11 Answers

• Optimizer - CJam, Groovy, HTML, Forth, Rebol, Markdown, CASIO BASIC, SpeakEasy, REXX, RegXy, Pawn
• jimmy23013 - GNU dc, Zsh, Burlesque, bc, Hack, GDB, QBasic, MediaWiki Markup, itflabtijtslwi, Squirrel, AGOL 68

7 Answers

• Nit - APL, Clipper, Falcon, MUMPS, FreeBASIC, csh, Dart
• Timmy - Lua, Lisp, Oz, Algoid, KTurtle, Alice, OCaml

6 Answers

• Stacey - VHDL, GNU Octave, M4, Logo, Microsoft Batch, Matlab
• Dennis - Dash, tcsh, TeX, ///, HQ9+-, Alore

5 Answers

• plannapus - Stata, Scheme, SQLite, Scala, Suneido
• Pietu1998 - PHP, sh, ALAGUF, Cardinal, Grin

4 Answers

• ypnypn - NetLogo, Mouse, Salmon, Maple
• resueman - Clojure, Emacs Lisp, Vimscript, VBScript
• Timtech - AutoLisp, Geom++, BogusForth, owl

3 Answers

• BrunoJ - CoffeeScript, F#, Betterave

2 Answers

• Mig - Extended BF Type III, TCL
• Calvin's Hobbies - Python, E
• Sp3000 - Racket, Pyth
• grc - Haskell, Turing
• es1024 - Nimrod, ksh
• FireFly - FALSE, mIRC script
• g-rocket - AppleScript, LiveCode
• Oriol - AMPL, PARI/GP
• nneonneo - Boo, Caché ObjectScript

Languages used so far:

1. Python
2. CJam
3. PHP
4. Pyth
5. Perl
6. Befunge 98
7. Bash
8. Nimrod
9. Ruby
10. GNU dc
11. Golfscript
12. Mathematica
13. R
14. Lua
15. Sage
16. Julia
17. Scilab
18. JavaScript
19. VHDL
20. HyperTalk
21. Haskell
22. LOLCODE
23. APL
24. M30W
25. Stata
26. TI-BASIC (NSpire)
27. ActionScript 2
28. J
29. PowerShell
30. K
31. Visual FoxPro
32. VBA
33. Extended BF Type III
34. Zsh
35. Dash
36. Clojure
37. NetLogo
38. Groovy
39. CoffeeScript
40. Clipper
41. B.A.S.I.C.
42. FALSE
43. fish (shell)
44. GNU Octave
45. TCL
46. E
47. newLisp
48. Lisp
49. SMT-LIBv2
50. Racket
51. Batsh
52. tcsh
53. AppleScript
54. Mouse
55. Pixie
56. F#
57. Falcon
58. Burlesque
59. HTML
60. SGML
61. M4
62. MUMPS
63. TeX
64. Forth
65. Salmon
66. Turing
67. bc
68. Betterave
69. Scheme
70. Emacs Lisp
71. Logo
72. AutoLISP
73. ///
74. Rebol
75. Maple
76. FreeBASIC
77. Vimscript
78. ksh
79. Hack
80. mIRC
81. Batch
82. Make
83. Markdown
84. sh
85. GDB
86. csh
87. HQ9+-
88. Postscript
89. Matlab
90. Oz
91. CASIO BASIC
92. VBScript
93. QBasic
94. Processing
95. C
96. Rust 0.13
97. Dart
98. Kaffeine
99. Algoid
100. AMPL
101. Alore
102. Forobj
103. T-SQL
104. LiveCode
105. Euphoria
106. SpeakEasy
107. MediaWiki
108. SmallBASIC
109. REXX
110. SQLite
111. TPP
112. Geom++
113. SQL (postgres)
114. itflabtijtslwi
115. RegXy
116. Opal.rb
117. Squirrel
118. Pawn
119. Scala
120. Rebmu
121. Boo
122. PARI/GP
123. Red
124. Swift
125. BeanShell
126. Vala
127. Pike
128. Suneido
129. AWK
130. Neko
131. AngelScript
132. gosu
133. V
134. ALAGUF
135. BogusForth
136. Flaming Thunder
137. Caché ObjectScript
138. owl
139. Cardinal
140. Parser
141. Grin
142. Kitten
143. TwoDucks
144. Asymptote
145. CAT
146. IDL
147. Tiny
148. WTFZOMFG
149. Io
150. MuPAD
151. Java
152. Onyx
153. JBoss
154. S+
155. Hexish
156. yash
157. Improbable
158. wake
159. brat
160. busybox built-in shell
161. gammaplex
162. KTurtle
163. AGOL 68
164. Alice
165. SML/NJ
166. OCaml
167. CDuce
168. Underload
169. Simplex v.0.6
170. Minkolang 0.9
171. Fexl 7.0.3
172. Jolf
173. Vitsy
174. Y
175. Retina
176. Codename Dragon
177. Seriously
178. Reng v.3.3
179. Fuzzy Octo Guacamole
180. 05AB1E

^{(Feel free to edit these lists if they are incorrect or out of date.)}

This question works best when you sort by oldest.

NOTE: This is a trial question for a new challenge type I have in mind where each answer depends on the last and increases in difficulty. Come discuss it with us in the chatroom for this question or in meta.

Answer 1

Answer 137 - Caché ObjectScript

 //#class jux{//-ta[][static void main(){y//println(;\#//Hello*}}
 write "Hello World!" ;!puts
#;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from Answer 136.

Answer 2

Answer 138 - owl

#//#class jux{//-ta[][static void main(Str){y//println(;\#//Hello*}} write 
"Hello World!"#;!puts
#;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from Answer 137 (4 necessary, 3 to add int).

Answer 3

Answer 139 – Cardinal

x//#class jux{//-ta[][static void main(Str){Sys//println(;\#//Hello*}} write 
%"Hello World!";x!puts
x;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 138 (5 necessary, 2 for adding Sys).

Answer 4

Answer 140 - Parser

#//#class jux{//-ta[][static void main(Str){Syst//println(;\#//Hello*}} write 
Hello World!
#x!putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 139 (6 nessasary, 1 for Syst).

Answer 5

Answer 141 – Grin

[//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(Str){Syste//println(;\#//Hello*}} write]
(Hello World!)`x!putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 140 (6 necessary, 1 for Syste).

Answer 6

Answer 142 - Kitten

//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(Str){Syste//println(;\#//Hello*}} write]
"Hello World!"say"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 141.

Answer 7

Answer 144 - Asymptote

//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(String[]){System..println(;\#//Hello*}}
write("Hello World!");//y"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from Answer 143 - 4 (->\n, ]->(, and );) + 3 free changes (Syste//->System..))

Answer 8

Answer 145 - Cat

//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(String[]){System..println(;\#//Hello*}}
"rite""Hello World!"write"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 144.

Tested in the C# interpreter. It doesn't work in the online interpreter.

Answer 9

Answer 146 - IDL

;//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(String[]){System.o.println(;\#//Hello*}}
print,"Hello World!";write"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 145.

1. Inserted ; before /
2. Replaced " by p
3. Replaced t by n
4. Replaced e by t
5. Inserted ; before w
6. Inserted , after print

And:

7. Added o after System.

Answer 10

Answer 148 - WTFZOMFG

#class jux{public[static void main(String[]){System.out.println(;\#//Hello*}}print,
'Hello World!"#;write"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance from Answer 147 : 7

First language that I have seen which has unmatched quotes as syntax :D

Answer 11

Answer 152 - Onyx

#/#class jux{public static void main(String[] h){System.out.println(//;\#//Hello*}}print,
`Hello World!'#);}}//
print#putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 151.

I found these languages here: http://concatenative.org.

Answer 12

Answer 149 - Io

#class jux{public static void main(String[]){System.out.println(;\#//Hello*}}print,
"Hello World!"print"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 148 (6 necessary, 1 for the space after public).

Io supports both write("...") and "..."print, but not print("...") or "..."write unfortunately.

This question has most answers in this site now.

Answer 13

Answer 156 - yash

#B00class jux{public static void main(String[] h){
#System.Cont.Wrintln(//;\#//Hello*}}print,
cat<<<"Hello World!" #;}}//print#putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 155 (5 necessary, 2 change the single quotes to double quotes, to make next answers easier).

I'll stop looking for new languages now. And I'll be no longer answering so fast. I'll only post answers with languages that I have found but yet didn't have chance to use.

I also found apt-cache search useful. And if you want more languages that only a few people use, you can try something like this. If you want it to be uninteresting, you can also see here.

There are also many esolangs and serious languages in those long lists not have been used yet, I think.

Answer 14

Answer 153 - JBoss

//#class jux{public static void main(String[] h){
System.out.println(//;\#//Hello*}}print,
'Hello World!');//}}//print#putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 152.

Note due to incorrect syntax the last line was changed... 2014-11-18 (OP)

Answer 15

Answer 170 - Minkolang 0.9

Distance 7 from answer 169.

03w!(*#class jux{public static void main(String[] h){#
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)
pint)(!
"Hello World!"(O).g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputsx;//-##E;]bye</>%#*)

The two additions are 03w at the beginning, which jumps it to the beginning of the fourth line and (O). after "Hello World!", which prints out the whole stack as characters. Very, very, very conveniently, this is exactly 7 characters!

Answer 16

Answer 172 - Jolf

Distance 7 from answer 171.

"#03w(*#class jux!{public static void main(String[] h){#\
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)\
put"
a"Hello World!'#(O).g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputsx;//-##E;]bye</>#*)

Guide:

• Five insertions; "s at beginning and after put; \ after first two lines; a before "Hello World!
• 1 substitution; ' to " on the last line
• 1 deletion; the % towards the end.

Try it here!

Answer 17

Answer 174 - Y

Distance 7 from answer 173. Try it here!

"4mrZ""#03w(*#class jux!{public static void main(String[] h){#\
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)\
put"

^
"Hello World!"gx;#(O).g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputs;//-##E;]bye</>#*)

Surrounded 4mrZ with quotes (2); added two characters gx after "Hello, World!". Added a newline after put", replaced the a with a ^, removed the x from printsputsx;// on the last line. Both 4mrZ and the long text after it are quoted and pushed to the stack; ^ probably does something, but nothing relevant, "Hello World!" pushes that sting to the stack, and g prints one item from the stack. x terminates the program. Fun fact: removing the x gives infinite "Hello World!"s because of the X, which wraps around to the beginning of the section.

Answer 18

Answer 175 - Retina

x`4mrZ"#03w(*#class jux!{public static void main(String[] h){#\
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)\
put"

^
Hello World!
gx`#(O).g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputs;//-##E;]bye</>#*)
<empty>

Distance 7 from Answer 174.

The last line is simply an empty line, so the next person should remove <empty>. I used free-spacing mode so that # starts a comment. This takes care of the unmatched brackets and parentheses. I guess the g is the last replace's configuration string is ignored?

Try it online

Answer 19

Answer 177 - Seriously

H.`4mrZ"#03w(*#class jux!{public static void main(String[] h){#\
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)\
put"

^
disp"Hello World!")
gx`#(O)X.g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputs;//-##E;]bye</>#*)`kX
<empty>

The last line is intended to be empty; SE doesn't like blank lines at the end of code blocks.

Distance 6 from Answer 176

Modifications:

+ H. (at the start, prints "Hello, World!")
+ X  (before the first . on the last line; prevents extraneous printing by clearing the stack)
+ `kx  (at the end, finishes a function definition and clears the stack to prevent printing)

Answer 20

Answer 76 - FreeBASIC

'#sh  o[.]c;cat;#&&alert"  "
print "Hello World!"
';#bye";dnl</vsh>~

Distance: 5

Answer 21

Answer 79 - Hack

<?hh #[.]c;cat;#&&alert"  "
echo $e= "Hello World!"
;#";#bye;dnl</vsh>~

Distance 7 from answer 78.

Answer 22

Answer 84 - sh

#[]([.]c;cat;#&&alert"  "
    echo Hello "World!"
#[;]:;#bye;dnl</vsh>

Distance from answer 83: 7

• Added #
• Removed @
• Changed ( to
• Added 2 "'s
• Added #

Yes, bash and dash have been done, but I'm just taking the opportunity here as sh has not...

Added the quotes just to get some difficulty up.

Answer 23

Answer 86 - csh

#[]([.]c;main()&al
    echo Hello World!
#[;]:;#bye;dnl</vsh>

Distance: 7

Answer 24

Answer 93 - QBasic

'#[]([.]c;main()    {
print("Hello World!")
'}/#[;]:;#bye;dnl</>

Distance 7 from answer 92.

C is possible now.

Answer 25

Answer 109 - REXX

--#[][.]#i--#main(){puts(
say"Hello World!"
--#[;]#bye;dnl</>%

Distance from Answer 108 : 7

Try it online here

Answer 26

Answer 114 - itflabtijtslwi

/-##[][/]#i--#main(){puts(
select/Hello World!/ 
"-##[;]#bye;nl</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 113.

I saw so many Lisp, sh, Basic and SQL dialects here. This time it's a /// dialect.

Answer 27

Answer 117 - Squirrel

#/-##[][/]#i--#main(){
print(
#sel/.*
"Hello World!") 
#b/"-##[;]#bye;nl</>%"

Distance 7 from answer 116.

Answer 28

Answer 136 - Flaming Thunder

#/#class jux{//-ta[][static void main(){//println(;\#//Hello*}}

write"Hello World!".#!puts
#;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance from Answer 135 : 7

Answer 29

Answer 143 - TwoDucks

//#class jux{//-ta][static void main(String[]){Syste//println(;\#//Hello*}} write]
"Hello World!"//y"putsx;//-##[;]#bye</>%"

Distance from Answer 142 - 7 (2 for // 5 for ing[])

Answer 30

Answer 176 - Codename Dragon

x`4mrZ"#03w(*#class jux!{public static void main(String[] h){#\
#System.Console.Writeln(//@\//Hello*}}print,cat<<#*)\
put"

^
disp"Hello World!")
gx`#(O).g!)S(#X` ;}}//printputs;//-##E;]bye</>#*)
<empty>

Distance 7 from Answer 175.

For some reason, this works without the leading (. The seven chars added were disp" (5) followed by ") (2). (NOTE THAT THE LAST LINE IS AN EMPTY LINE.)

To execute the program, go the github in the header and paste CDragon.js into a jsfiddle or something, then call the wrapper function with the above code.