cargo culting

[ KAHR-goh KUHLT-ing ]noun

Copying what something looks like without understanding why it works.

Explanation

From a talk Richard Feynman gave in 1974. The modern version is a project full of settings files copied off a blog post, none of which anyone can explain.

Related words

• prompt jockey — A mildly rude name for somebody who prompts all day and checks nothing.
• vibe debt — Shortcuts and mess piling up as fast as a machine can type.