Lorem Ipsum - The Classic Placeholder Text
Lorem Ipsum is the standard placeholder text used in the design and publishing industry since the 1500s. It allows designers to focus on layout and visual elements without being distracted by meaningful content.
What is Lorem Ipsum?
Lorem Ipsum is scrambled Latin text derived from Cicero's writings from 45 BC. The text has been used as dummy content for centuries, becoming the industry standard for placeholder text in the digital age.
Why Use Lorem Ipsum?
- Neutral Content: Doesn't distract from design elements
- Natural Distribution: Letters appear with natural frequency
- Industry Standard: Universally recognized by clients and designers
- Focus on Design: Lets you evaluate layout without content bias
- Professional Look: Makes mockups look more realistic than "test test test"
Common Use Cases
- Website Mockups: Fill pages while awaiting real content
- Design Presentations: Show layouts to clients
- Typography Testing: Test fonts and spacing
- Print Layouts: Magazine and brochure designs
- App Prototypes: Demonstrate UI without final copy
- Template Creation: WordPress, landing pages, etc.
Historical Background
The text is derived from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of Cicero's "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum" (The Extremes of Good and Evil), written in 45 BC. The modern Lorem Ipsum was popularized in the 1960s with Letraset transfer sheets.
The Original Latin
The original passage begins: "Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit..." which translates to "There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain..."
Alternatives to Lorem Ipsum
- Hipster Ipsum: Hipster-themed placeholder text
- Bacon Ipsum: Meat-themed filler text
- Cupcake Ipsum: Sweet dessert-themed text
- Pirate Ipsum: Arr, matey! Pirate-speak placeholder
- Office Ipsum: Corporate jargon generator
- Your Own Content: Use similar length text from your domain
Best Practices
- Replace with real content as soon as available
- Use realistic content length for your layout
- Test with both short and long paragraphs
- Consider using real content examples for client presentations
- Don't forget to replace Lorem Ipsum before launching!
Design Tips
- Vary paragraph lengths to match real content patterns
- Include headings and subheadings in mockups
- Test with different font sizes and line heights
- Consider reading difficulty and line length
- Check how text wraps on different screen sizes
Fun Fact
Lorem Ipsum became popular when it was included as default text in desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker in the 1980s. It has since become the de facto standard for placeholder text worldwide.