Placeholders are symbols or text used to represent missing or unspecified information in various contexts. They help to indicate where content will be added later, making it easier to organize and structure documents, designs, or programming code. Common examples include the use of “John Doe” in legal documents or “Lorem Ipsum” in graphic design. In programming, placeholders can be variables or specific syntax that allows developers to insert values dynamically. For instance, in a web form, a placeholder might show “Enter your name” in a text box until the user types their name. This enhances user experience by guiding input.