MPL (Mathematics Programming Language) challenges a fundamental assumption in computing: that programming must be done in English. The project proves that programming languages can be built from mathematical notation—symbols like ∀, ∈, λ—making computational thinking accessible to the 80% of humanity that doesn’t speak English.
The Challenge
This question drives MPL. Programming languages have traditionally been English-centric not because English is somehow optimal for computation, but because the people who created early languages spoke English. Mathematical notation, by contrast, is truly universal—the same symbols mean the same things from Beijing to Buenos Aires.
The Approach
We built MPL as an open-source research prototype. The parser is complete—it can read programs written in mathematical notation. The project now seeks contributors to build the interpreter that will execute those programs.
The website serves multiple purposes: explaining the vision and motivation to potential contributors, providing technical documentation for developers who want to participate, showcasing example MPL code and its mathematical elegance, and building community around open-source language development.
The design reflects the project’s unique nature—precise, minimal, with typography that honors the mathematical heritage. Code examples display beautifully, making the notation itself a visual argument for the approach.
Key Features
- Complete mathematical notation parser
- Technical documentation for contributors
- Example code showcasing MPL’s elegance
- Community-focused open source approach
- Accessible to non-English speakers globally
Results
MPL has attracted interest from the programming language research community and educators interested in making computing more globally accessible. The website effectively communicates both the philosophical motivation and technical substance of the project.
The parser proves the concept works. The interpreter is the next frontier.
Visit the live site at mpl.codes
"Why should a 10-year-old in Cairo need to know English to write a program?"
