RFC 3092 – Etymology of "Foo" (2001)
Ever wondered where the placeholder words 'foo' and 'bar' in code examples actually come from?
Deep Dive
A 2001 internet memo officially documented the etymology of the common placeholder terms 'foo' and 'bar'. It traces their origins to pre-WWII comic strips and cartoons, like 'Smokey Stover' and Warner Bros., before their adoption as metasyntactic variables in technical documents. The document was created because over 200 technical RFCs used the terms without explanation, which confused newcomers, especially non-native English speakers.
Why It Matters
It reveals the quirky, human history behind the sterile, technical jargon used by programmers worldwide.