Voodoo programming (a term derived from voodoo economics ) is a tongue-in-cheek term for using a programming device, system or language which you do not fully understand. The implication is that the end result should not actually work, or even if it does work you will not know why . The term can also apply to doing something which you know should not work, but actually does work, such as recompiling some code which refuses to compile the first time.

It is similar to black magic (programming), except that black magic typically isn t documented and nobody understands it.

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