October 30, 2025
Invisible code, loud opinions
No Code
Type nothing, run something — devs roast and rave
TLDR: A Python tool turns scripts into invisible text you can still run, with a switch to turn it back. Commenters are split between calling it a clever homage or a copy of earlier classics, while joking about ultimate laziness and sharing throwbacks like Perl’s Bleach and Hightower’s nocode.
A new Python gag-tool called “No Code” promises the dream: write nothing, run something. It converts your script into invisible characters (think secret ink for computers) and somehow still runs, with a magic “yes_code” undo button. The premise is simple, the setup is fussy, and the comments are pure chaos. One user blew the lid off fast: “Spoiler: it’s just two zero‑width characters,” a mic-drop reveal that turned the mystery into a party trick. Another cracked the ultimate laziness fantasy: “Can you make it so I don’t have to run it?” The crowd loved the joke, even as they tripped over the quirky “no” encoding and virtual environment warnings.
Then came the drama. Purists called it a copycat of Kelsey Hightower’s legendary nocode, while old-school coders pulled out receipts like Perl’s classic Acme::Bleach. Meanwhile, a dev flexed their own minimalist masterpiece — a project literally named “-” — for peak “I worked hard at doing nothing” energy. The vibe: half meme, half art project, with a sprinkle of “credit the originals!” While some roll eyes at yet another invisible-code stunt, others are delighted by the sheer audacity. In short: the code is blank, but the opinions are anything but. And yes, the internet is absolutely here for it.
Key Points
- •The package converts visible Python code into an invisible yet executable form using a custom “no” encoding.
- •It provides CLI tools: “no_code” to create “no code” files and “yes_code” to restore readable Python.
- •Python 3.10+ is required, and using a virtual environment is strongly recommended; “uv run” may break the package.
- •Troubleshooting includes ensuring “# coding: no” is present and registering the encoding via a no.pth file in site-packages.
- •The package offers functions (no_code.nothing and no_code.something) and supports stdin for both commands.