Morse Lang

A tiny programming language written entirely in Morse code.

Built with:

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Table of Contents

• What You Can Do
• Overview
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation (from PyPI)
  • Installation (from source)
  • Running Your First Morse Program
• How It Works
• Language Basics
• Web Frontend (Text ⇄ Morse Translator)
• Development

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What You Can Do

Morse Lang lets you write full Python programs using only dots (.) and dashes (-). Here's what you can build:

🔢 Variables

Create and store values in variables:

Python:

var x = 10
var y = 20
var name = "morse"

Morse:

...- .- .-.   -..-   -...-   .---- -----
...- .- .-.   -.--   -...-   ..--- -----
...- .- .-.   -.. .- -- .   -...-   .----. -- --- .-. ... . .----.

➕ Math Operations

Perform arithmetic with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division:

Python:

var result = 5 + 3
var product = 10 * 2
var difference = 100 - 25
var quotient = 20 / 4

Morse:

...- .- .-.   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -   -...-   ..... .-.-. ...--
...- .- .-.   .--. .-. --- -.. ..- -.-. -   -...-   .---- ----- -.-.- ..---
...- .- .-.   -.. .. ..-. ..-. . .-. . -. -.-. .   -...-   .---- ----- ----- -....- ..--- .....
...- .- .-.   --.- ..- --- - .. . -. -   -...-   ..--- ----- -..-. ....-

📝 Print Statements

Display output to the console:

Python:

print("Hello, World!")
print(42)
print(x + y)

Morse:

.--. .-. .. -. - -.--. .----. .... . .-.. .-.. --- --..--  .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. .----. -.--.-
.--. .-. .. -. - -.--. ....- ..--- -.--.-
.--. .-. .. -. - -.--. -..- .-.-. -.-- -.--.-

🔁 For Loops

Iterate over a range of numbers:

Python:

for i in range(5):
  print i

Morse:

..-. --- .-.   ..   .. -.   .-. .- -. --. . -.--. ..... -.--.- --- --..--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   ..

Output:

0
1
2
3
4

🔄 While Loops

Repeat code while a condition is true:

Python:

var count = 0
while count < 3:
  print count
  var count = count + 1

Morse:

...- .- .-.   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -...-   -----
.-- .... .. .-.. .   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -....-   ...--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   -.-. --- ..- -. -
  ...- .- .-.   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -...-   -.-. --- ..- -. - .-.-. .----

Output:

0
1
2

⚙️ Functions

Define reusable functions with parameters and return values:

Python:

func greet():
  print hello
  print world

greet()

func add(a b):
  return a + b

var result = add(3 5)
print result

Morse:

..-. ..- -. -.-.   --. .-. . . - -.--. -.--.- --- --..--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   .... . .-.. .-.. ---
  .--. .-. .. -. -   .-- --- .-. .-.. -..

--. .-. . . - -.--. -.--.-

..-. ..- -. -.-.   .- -.. -.. -.--. .-   -... -.--.- --- --..--
  .-. . - ..- .-. -.   .- .-.-. -...

...- .- .-.   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -   -...-   .- -.. -.. -.--. ...--   ..... -.--.-
.--. .-. .. -. -   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -

Output:

hello
world
8

🎯 Complete Example

Here's a full program that combines all features:

Python:

func calculate_sum(a b):
  return a + b

var x = 5
var y = 10
var total = calculate_sum(x y)
print total

for i in range(3):
  print i

Morse:

..-. ..- -. -.-.   -.-. .- .-.. -.-. ..- .-.. .- - .   ... ..- -- -.--. .-   -... -.--.- --- --..--
  .-. . - ..- .-. -.   .- .-.-. -...

...- .- .-.   -..-   -...-   .....
...- .- .-.   -.--   -...-   .---- -----
...- .- .-.   - --- - .- .-..   -...-   -.-. .- .-.. -.-. ..- .-.. .- - .   ... ..- -- -.--. -..-   -.-- -.--.-
.--. .-. .. -. -   - --- - .- .-..

..-. --- .-.   ..   .. -.   .-. .- -. --. . -.--. ...-- -.--.- --- --..--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   ..

Output:

15
0
1
2

💡 Note: Morse Lang supports all these features and more! You can combine variables, math, loops, and functions to build complex programs entirely in Morse code.

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Overview

Morse Lang is a programming language where your source code is written entirely in Morse code. You write a .mc file using dots (.) and dashes (-), the morse CLI decodes it into Python, and then executes it.
It works the same way on macOS, Windows, and Linux as long as you have Python installed.

Use cases

• Learning / teaching Morse code with a fun programming twist
• Code golf / esolangs and experimentation
• Novel demos where the source file looks like radio traffic but runs like Python

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How It Works

• Step 1 – Morse source (.mc):
  You create a file filled with Morse symbols (e.g. .-, --..--) separated by spaces.

• Step 2 – Decode to Python:
  The CLI uses morse_lang.morse_to_text and MORSE_MAP to translate each Morse token into a character, building a normal Python source file line by line.

• Step 3 – Execute:
  The decoded Python string is executed with exec(...) in a fresh namespace, just like running a regular .py script.

Because of this, Morse Lang programs can do anything Python can. Only run .mc files you trust, just as you would with untrusted Python code.

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Python: 3.8 or newer (3.10+ recommended)
• Works on:
  • macOS (tested on recent versions)
  • Windows 10/11
  • Linux (any modern distro)

You can check your Python version with:

python --version

On Windows, you may need:

py --version

Installation (from PyPI)

The simplest way is to install the package directly from PyPI.

• macOS / Linux (bash, zsh, etc.):

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install morse-lang

• Windows (PowerShell or Command Prompt):

py -m pip install --upgrade pip
py -m pip install morse-lang

After installation, the morse command should be available on your PATH.

Installation (from source)

If you are working directly with this repository:

git clone https://github.com/sharky-3/morse-programming-language.git
cd morse-programming-language

# (Optional but recommended) create a virtual environment
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate    # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -e .

This installs morse-lang in editable mode so changes to the source are reflected immediately.

Running Your First Morse Program

1. Try the included example

If you cloned this repository, you can immediately run the included example:

• macOS / Linux:

  morse examples/hello.mc

• Windows:

  morse examples\hello.mc

You should see:

hello, world

2. Create your own program

Create a new file, for example my_program.mc, and add some Morse code:

Example: Simple math program

Create math.mc:

...- .- .-.   -..-   -...-   .---- -----
...- .- .-.   -.--   -...-   .....
...- .- .-.   ... ..- --   -...-   -..- .-.-. -.--
.--. .-. .. -. -   ... ..- --

Run it:

• macOS / Linux:

  morse math.mc

• Windows:

  morse math.mc

Output:

15

Example: Try loops and functions

You can also run the included example with loops and functions:

• macOS / Linux:

  morse examples/loops_and_functions.mc

• Windows:

  morse examples\loops_and_functions.mc

💡 Tip: Use the Web Frontend to help translate your Python code to Morse code!

3. Troubleshooting: Command not found

If the morse command is not found after installation:

Windows:

# Try using Python module directly
py -m morse_lang.cli math.mc

# Or with full path
python -m morse_lang.cli math.mc

macOS / Linux:

# Try using Python module directly
python -m morse_lang.cli math.mc

# Or check if morse is in your PATH
which morse

If it's still not working, make sure:

• Python is installed and in your PATH
• You've activated your virtual environment (if using one)
• The package was installed successfully (pip list | grep morse-lang)

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Language Basics

At its core, Morse Lang is "Python in Morse". Each Morse token is mapped to a character using standard Morse code conventions:

📋 Syntax Rules

• Single space (" ") between Morse codes → separates letters within a word
• Triple space (" ") between sequences → separates words
• Each line in your .mc file → one line of decoded Python

🔤 Morse Code Mapping

The mapping is defined in MORSE_MAP and includes:

Letters (A-Z)

.-   → a      -... → b      -.-. → c      -..  → d      .    → e
..-. → f      --.  → g      .... → h      ..   → i      .--- → j
-.-  → k      .-.. → l      --   → m      -.   → n      ---  → o
.--. → p      --.- → q      .-.  → r      ...  → s      -    → t
..-  → u      ...- → v      .--  → w      -..- → x      -.-- → y
--.. → z

Digits (0-9)

----- → 0     .---- → 1     ..--- → 2     ...-- → 3     ....- → 4
..... → 5     -.... → 6     --... → 7     ---.. → 8     ----. → 9

Math Operators

.-.-.  → +    (addition)
-....- → -    (subtraction)
-.-.-  → *    (multiplication)
-..-.  → /    (division)
-...-  → =    (assignment/equality)

Punctuation & Symbols

--..-- → ,    (comma)
...... → .    (period)
.----. → '    (apostrophe)
-.--.  → (    (left parenthesis)
-.--.- → )    (right parenthesis)

💡 Writing Morse Code Programs

When writing your .mc files, remember:

1. Separate letters with single spaces: .... . .-.. .-.. --- = hello
2. Separate words with triple spaces: .... . .-.. .-.. --- .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. = hello world
3. Each line becomes one Python line: Line breaks in .mc become line breaks in Python

📚 Example Programs

Simple Print

Python:

print("Hello, World!")

Morse:

.--. .-. .. -. - -.--. .----. .... . .-.. .-.. --- --..--  .-- --- .-. .-.. -.. .----. -.--.-

Variables and Math

Python:

var x = 10
var y = 5
var result = x + y
print result

Morse:

...- .- .-.   -..-   -...-   .---- -----
...- .- .-.   -.--   -...-   .....
...- .- .-.   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -   -...-   -..- .-.-. -.--
.--. .-. .. -. -   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -

Output:

15

For Loops

Python:

for i in range(5):
  print i

Morse:

..-. --- .-.   ..   .. -.   .-. .- -. --. . -.--. ..... -.--.- --- --..--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   ..

Output:

0
1
2
3
4

While Loops

Python:

var count = 0
while count < 3:
  print count
  var count = count + 1

Morse:

...- .- .-.   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -...-   -----
.-- .... .. .-.. .   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -....-   ...-- --- --..--
  .--. .-. .. -. -   -.-. --- ..- -. -
  ...- .- .-.   -.-. --- ..- -. -   -...-   -.-. --- ..- -. - .-.-. .----

Output:

0
1
2

Functions

Python:

func add(a b):
  return a + b

var result = add(3 5)
print result

Morse:

..-. ..- -. -.-.   .- -.. -.. -.--. .-   -... -.--.- --- --..--
  .-. . - ..- .-. -.   .- .-.-. -...

...- .- .-.   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -   -...-   .- -.. -.. -.--. ...--   ..... -.--.-
.--. .-. .. -. -   .-. . ... ..- .-.. -

Output:

8

🚀 Pro Tip: Morse Lang supports variables (var), math operations, print statements, for loops (for i in range(n):), while loops (while condition:), and functions (func name(args): with return). Use indentation (spaces) to define code blocks, just like Python!

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Web Frontend (Text ⇄ Morse Translator)

This repository also includes a small Flask web app that lets you convert between text and Morse interactively.

Run the web UI (macOS & Windows)

From the project root:

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate        # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

python app.py

Then open http://localhost:5000 in your browser.

The page lets you:

• Type text → get Morse code
• Paste Morse → get decoded text

The web app uses the same MORSE_MAP as the CLI, so behavior is consistent.

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Development

If you want to hack on Morse Lang itself:

• Clone and install in editable mode:

git clone https://github.com/sharky-3/morse-programming-language.git
cd morse-programming-language

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate        # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -e .
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt

• Run tests:

python -m pip install pytest
pytest

• Play with the internals:
  • morse_lang/lexer.py – Morse → text decoding
  • morse_lang/morse_map.py – core Morse symbol map
  • morse_lang/cli.py – morse command-line entrypoint

You can now iterate on the language, extend the Morse mapping, or experiment with new features.

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Enjoy writing code in dots and dashes!
If you build something cool with Morse Lang, feel free to share it or open an issue/PR on the GitHub repo.