The full form of faq is frequently asked questions. In publications, websites, email lists, and online forums where recurrent questions recur, such as through posts or enquiries by new members relating to common knowledge gaps, a frequently asked questions (FAQ) forum is widely utilized. The goal of a FAQ is to provide answers to commonly asked questions or concerns; however, because the format is a good way of organizing information, any text including questions and answers can be labeled a FAQ, regardless of whether the questions are regularly asked.
While the term is new, the FAQ format has been around for a long time. In 1648, Matthew Hopkins published The Discovery of Witches as a set of questions and answers, introducing it with the phrase “Certain Queries addressed.” The format of many old catechisms is question-and-answer (Q&A). The Summa Theologica, composed by Thomas Aquinas in the second part of the 13th century, is a collection of answers to basic concerns regarding Christianity. The dialogues of Plato are even older.