## What is the Mystery Behind the \'Smiling with a Beard\' Expression \'<:]{%>\'?

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Delving into the Enigmatic "What is this smiley-with-beard expression: "<:]{%>"?"

Encountering an enigmatic expression within a program can leave programmers puzzled. One such expression is "<:]{%>," which has intrigued developers. This exploration aims to uncover the purpose and nature of this peculiar expression.

Originally spotted in a program that compiles flawlessly, the expression "<:]{%>" prompts questions about its functionality and its resemblance to a smiley with a beard. Delving into the program reveals that it employs digraphs to represent the following:

[ };

In essence, this represents a lambda expression that lacks any apparent functionality. Digging deeper, we discover that these symbols correspond to specific equivalents:

<: = [
%> = }

Despite their diminished relevance in modern programming, digraphs provide invaluable assistance in situations where specific keys on a keyboard are unavailable. This allows developers to utilize C 's basic source character set, which includes graphical characters. The combination of digraphs' characters is processed as a single token, compensating for any limitations in hardware or software.

Hence, the enigmatic "<:]{%>" expression is merely a representation of a lambda expression using digraphs, providing a convenient solution for developers lacking certain keys on their keyboards. This understanding unravels the mystery surrounding the curious smiley expression, shedding light on its underlying mechanism.

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