Placeholder Code

The file _placeholder.<ext> (_placeholder.py, _placeholder.cs) is the starter code students see when they first open the problem. It's loaded into the editor automatically on first visit; after that, the student's own cloud-saved draft wins.

If it doesn't exist, the editor shows:

No placeholder set, ask an admin to create a "_placeholder.py" file.

What to include

Always include the function signature with the correct name and parameters — the name must match the problem's function-name contract. Keep it minimal: don't give away the approach, don't add imports the student doesn't need yet.

_placeholder.py:

def add(a, b):
    # write your solution here
    pass

_placeholder.cs — in C# the student's class is always named Solution:

class Solution
{
    public int add(int a, int b)
    {
        // write your solution here
        return 0;
    }
}

Sanity check

Open the problem as a student would (/p/<problem-id>) and run the placeholder untouched. It should run and fail — cases red, no crash. If it errors with "method not found", one of the three names in the function-name contract is off.