Polyglot (computing)
computer program or script written in a valid form of multiple programming languages
In computing, a polyglot is a computer program or script (or other file) written in a valid form of multiple programming languages or file formats. The name was coined by analogy to multilingualism. A polyglot file is composed by combining syntax from two or more different formats.
When the file formats are to be compiled or interpreted as source code, the file can be said to be a polyglot program, though file formats and source code syntax are both fundamentally streams of bytes, and exploiting this commonality is key to the development of polyglots. Polyglot files have limited practical applications in compatibility, but can also present a security risk when used to bypass validation or to exploit a vulnerability.
History
Polyglot programs have been crafted as challenges and curios in hacker culture since at least the early 1990s. A notable early example, named simply polyglot was published on the Usenet group rec.puzzles in 1991, supporting eight languages, though this was inspired by even earlier programs. In 2000, a polyglot program was named a winner in the International Obfuscated C Code Contest.
In the 21st century, polyglot programs and files gained attention as a covert channel mechanism for propagation of malware. Polyglot files have limited practical applications in compatibility.
“Polyglot (computing)” enters the record as computer program or script written in a valid form of multiple programming languages. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Polyglot, computing and computer can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Polyglot (computing)” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Polyglot, computing and computer provides the most credible route into that argument.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2102850. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1991 and 2000.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
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This entry incorporates text from “Polyglot (computing)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.