This term originated at MIT in the 1950s and 1960s among early computer scientists and hackers, later popularized in software engineering communities and documented in the Jargon File. It is used to describe redundant, outdated, or poorly written code that accumulates over time, making a system bloated, slow, or hard to maintain — essentially digital debris left behind by repeated patches and fixes. The word likely blends "crud" and "fluff" or derives from an old British term for accumulated dirt, capturing the idea of unwanted buildup.

Définition et signification de « cruft » en anglais

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