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1. The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003)
cargo cult programming
 n.

    A style of (incompetent) programming dominated by ritual inclusion of code
    or program structures that serve no real purpose. A cargo cult programmer
    will usually explain the extra code as a way of working around some bug
    encountered in the past, but usually neither the bug nor the reason the
    code apparently avoided the bug was ever fully understood (compare shotgun
    debugging, voodoo programming).

    The term ?cargo cult? is a reference to aboriginal religions that grew up
    in the South Pacific after World War II. The practices of these cults
    center on building elaborate mockups of airplanes and military style
    landing strips in the hope of bringing the return of the god-like airplanes
    that brought such marvelous cargo during the war. Hackish usage probably
    derives from Richard Feynman's characterization of certain practices as ?
    cargo cult science? in his book Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (W. W.
    Norton & Co, New York 1985, ISBN 0-393-01921-7).
2. The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018)
cargo cult programming

    A style of (incompetent) programming
   dominated by ritual inclusion of code or program structures
   that serve no real purpose.  A cargo cult programmer will
   usually explain the extra code as a way of working around some
   bug encountered in the past, but usually neither the bug nor
   the reason the code apparently avoided the bug was ever fully
   understood (compare shotgun debugging, voodoo
   programming).

   The term "cargo cult" is a reference to aboriginal religions
   that grew up in the South Pacific after World War II.  The
   practices of these cults centre on building elaborate mockups
   of aeroplanes and military style landing strips in the hope of
   bringing the return of the god-like aeroplanes that brought
   such marvelous cargo during the war.  Hackish usage probably
   derives from Richard Feynman's characterisation of certain
   practices as "cargo cult science" in his book "Surely You're
   Joking, Mr. Feynman" (W. W. Norton & Co, New York 1985, ISBN
   0-393-01921-7).

   [Jargon File]

   (2002-05-28)
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