Draw the Hilbert curve using slashes

Python, 282

from numpy import*
def r(n):
 x=2**n-2;b=3*x/2+1;c=x/2+1;a=zeros((x*2+2,)*2,int);a[x+1,x+1]=1;a[b,x/2]=a[x/2,b]=-1
 if n>1:s=r(n-1);a[:x,c:b]=rot90(s,3)*-1;a[c:b,:x]|=rot90(s)*-1;a[c:b,x+2:]|=s;a[x+2:,c:b]|=s
 return a
for l in r(input()):print''.join(' /\\'[c] for c in l).rstrip()

This uses a recursive approach to construct the nth order Hilbert curve out of the previous curve. The curves are represented as a 2d numpy array for better slicing and manipulation.

Here are some examples:

$ python hilbert.py
2
  /
  \/\
/\   \
 / /\/
 \ \
  \/
$ python hilbert.py
3
       \
     /\/
    /   /\
    \/\ \ \
  /\  / / /
 / /  \/  \/\
 \ \/\  /\   \
\/   / / / /\/
  /\/ /  \ \
  \   \/\ \/
   \/\   \
     / /\/
     \ \
      \/
$ python hilbert.py
4
              /
              \/\
            /\   \
           / / /\/
           \ \ \  /\
         /\/  \/  \ \
        /   /\  /\/ /
        \/\ \ \ \   \/\
      /\  / /  \ \/\   \
     / /  \/ /\/   / /\/
     \ \/\  /   /\/ /   /\
   /\/   /  \/\ \   \/\ \ \
  /   /\/ /\  / / /\  / / /
  \/\ \  / /  \/ / /  \/  \/\
/\   \ \ \ \/\   \ \/\  /\   \
 / /\/  \/   / /\/   / / / /\/
 \ \  /\  /\/  \  /\/ /  \ \
  \/  \ \ \  /\/  \   \/\ \/
    /\/ / / /   /\ \/\   \
    \   \/  \/\ \ \  / /\/
     \/\  /\  / / /  \ \
       / / /  \/  \/\ \/
       \ \ \/\  /\   \
        \/   / / / /\/
          /\/ /  \ \
          \   \/\ \/
           \/\   \
             / /\/
             \ \
              \/

Ruby, 247 230 205 characters

r=?D
y=d=0
z=(1..2*x=2**gets.to_i.times{r.gsub!(/\w/){$&<?H?'-H~+D~D+~H-':'+D~-H~H-~D+'}}-1).map{' '*2*x}
r.bytes{|c|c>99?(z[y-=s=-~d/2%2][x-=1-d/2]='/\\'[d%2]
x+=d/2
y+=1-s):d-=c
d%=4}
puts z.map &:rstrip

An ASCII-turtle approach using the Lindenmayer representation (try here).

Big thank you to @Ventero for some more golfing.


Malsys - 234 221 characters

I smell some L-systems here :) Malsys is online L-system interpreter. This is not really serious entry but I felt like this solution is somewhat interesting.

Syntax of Malsys is not really good for golfing since it contains a lot of lengthy keywords but still, it's quite short, readable, and expressive.

lsystem HilbertCurveAscii {
    set symbols axiom = R;
    set iterations = 5;
    set rightAngleSlashMode = true;
    interpret F as DrawLine;
    interpret + as TurnLeft;
    interpret - as TurnRight;
    rewrite L to + R F - L F L - F R +;
    rewrite R to - L F + R F R + F L -;
}
process all with HexAsciiRenderer;

http://malsys.cz/g/3DcVFMWn

Interpreter: http://malsys.cz/Process

Golfed version:

lsystem H{set symbols axiom=R;set iterations=3;set
rightAngleSlashMode=1;interpret.as DrawLine;interpret+as
TurnLeft;interpret-as TurnRight;rewrite L to+R.-L.L-.R+;rewrite
R to-L.+R.R+.L-;}process H with HexAsciiRenderer;

And how about Ascii hexagonal Gosper curve? :)

      ____
 ____ \__ \
 \__ \__/ / __
 __/ ____ \ \ \
/ __ \__ \ \/
\ \ \__/ / __
 \/ ____ \/ /
    \__ \__/
    __/

http://malsys.cz/g/ae5v5vGB