Placeholder text

Updated: 10/01/2023 by Computer Hope

Placeholder text may refer to any of the following:

1. In computer programming, a placeholder is a character, word, or string of characters that temporarily takes the place of the final data. For example, a programmer may know that she needs a certain number of values or variables but doesn't yet know what to input. She can use a placeholder as a temporary solution until a proper value or variable can be assigned.

A placeholder in programming code may also indicate where specific code needs to be added, but the programmer has not yet written the code. The placeholder reminds the programmer where to add code or can let other programmers know that additional code still needs to be added in general.

Placeholders may also be commented out to prevent the computer program from executing part of the code.

Placeholder examples

Examples of placeholders in computer programming include the following.

< insert splice function here >
<-- add interest calculation code here -->
'dim variable1 as string
;I need to fix this section of code

2. Alternatively called dummy text or filler text, placeholder text is text that temporarily "holds a place" in a document for typesetting and layout. It helps preview fonts, spoof an e-mail spam filter, or reserve a specific place on a web page or other document for images, text, or another object. For example, the designer of an online newsletter may fill a template with dummy text to approximate the final layout. One of the most common filler texts is lorem ipsum.

3. With a PowerPoint, a placeholder may be a text or content placeholder. The text placeholder is a location for placing text in a slide, and the content placeholder allows any content (e.g., text, image, bullet list, chart, spreadsheet, etc.) in a slide layout. To add text or content to a placeholder, click the placeholder. For example, with the title text placeholder, click the text "Click to add title" and then start typing the title you want to appear.

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