# SudoLang: A Pseudocode Language for Prompting LLMs

DevFeed: [SudoLang: A Pseudocode Language for Prompting LLMs](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/sudolang-a-powerful-pseudocode-programming-language-for-llms-20715.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://medium.com/javascript-scene/sudolang-a-powerful-pseudocode-programming-language-for-llms-d64d42aa719b?source=rss----c0aeac5284ad---4>)

Author: Eric Elliott

Published: 2023-04-01T02:15:41Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Eric Elliot](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/eric-elliot.md>)

Topics: [Large Language Model](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/llm.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>), [GitHub Copilot](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/github-copilot.md>), [GitHub](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/github.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [chatgpt](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/chatgpt.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding.md>), [context](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/context.md>), [copilot](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/copilot.md>), [developer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer.md>), [gpt-3](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gpt-3.md>), [hallucinations](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hallucinations.md>), [language](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/language.md>), [language-models](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/language-models.md>), [llms](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/llms.md>), [nlp](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/nlp.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [programming-language](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming-language.md>), [software-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-development.md>), [sudolang](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sudolang.md>), [technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technology.md>)

## AI overview

The article introduces SudoLang, a formalized pseudocode language intended to help prompt large language models. It discusses how GPT-4 improved the usefulness of detailed pseudocode instructions while noting that LLM outputs can still contain errors and hallucinations.

## Source excerpt

Pseudocode is a fantastic way to sketch programs using informal, natural language, without worrying about specific syntax. It's like sketching your thoughts before diving into the nitty-gritty of coding. It's useful for brainstorming and communicating ideas with others. I have been using pseudocode to express ideas to Large Language Models (LLMs) since GPT-3 was announced in mid 2020. However, up until GPT-4 was released, it didn't work extremely well. It sometimes worked, but I threw away most completions on GPT-3 and GPT-3.5. Even so, LLMs were already extremely useful in that state. In a 2022 study, GitHub found that Copilot shaved 55% of the time off a project task assigned to 95 people: 45 using Copilot, and the rest without. In other words, even before LLM pseudocode languages like SudoLang, LLMs were already making a huge impact on developer productivity. But GPT-4 raises the bar. Not a little bit, but a lot. First, let's address the obvious. GPT-4 is: 40% less likely to deliver an incorrect response. (But still prone to errors and hallucinations. Be sure to check its output!) Multi-modal and can interact with both text and images. (I haven't had the chance to test this, yet.) Sweeping intelligence and training improvements. (This may be an understatement. The improvement is astonishing.) Much longer context available. (It can help you build much larger programs!) GPT-4 scores significantly better on a broad range of human level knowledge and intelligence assessment tests, including the Bar, LSAT, SAT, GRE, and AP placement tests. (Hot tip: GPT-4 is still not a lawyer even if it can pass the Bar. It will still sometimes hallucinate facts that aren't true. Please don't let it get you into legal trouble!) Source: GPT-4 Technical Report The really interesting upshot of all this is that GPT-4 now has the ability to follow detailed, step by step instructions, even through complex abstractions and long chains of function compositions. I've been playing with a lot o