How to output the code itself?

Question

How many ways are there to let the code output itself?

For example, write the code below,

public class Test
{
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      // some code
   }
}

to output itself

public class Test
{
   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
      // some code
   }
}

(Any programming language is accepted)

EDIT This question has been answered in the historical posts, search "quine" or check out https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=quine

Turning this into a community wiki would surely attract more volunteers. — David Hanak, Feb 23 '09 at 18:11
Exact duplicate of many, many quine questions on SO: http://stackoverflow.com/search?q=quine — Adam Davis, Feb 23 '09 at 18:14
No problem. Don't worry about deleting it - it will help others when they try to post the same question by showing up as a suggestion when they enter a new question title. — Adam Davis, Feb 23 '09 at 18:16

score 12 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

12

This is called a programming quine, and has been extensively discussed on SO:

https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=quine

Also see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine_(computing)

http://www.nyx.net/~gthompso/quine.htm

http://www.madore.org/~david/computers/quine.html

-Adam

edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

Community

1
1

answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:11

Adam Davis

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score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:10

4

look up Quines.

answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:10

Ferruccio

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score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:11

1

You are wanting to read about quines. See here.

answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:11

ChrisInEdmonton

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:12

1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine_(computing)

answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:12

Alex Barrett

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score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Feb 23 '09 at 18:13

0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quine_(computing)

http://www.nyx.net/~gthompso/quine.htm

edited Feb 23 '09 at 18:13

Ben Blank

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answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:12

Alex Reitbort

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score 0 · Answer 6 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

0

Hasn't this question already been asked?

edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

Community

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answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:15

Zack The Human

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:19

0

There are an infinite number ways to do this. All you have to do is find one way and then add comments....

answered Feb 23 '09 at 18:19

Milhous

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How to output the code itself?

7 Answers7