Author’s note: I held this post back for a couple of weeks after some excellent subject-adjacent articles from @ingosteinke and @dannwaneri. I am p...
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Essentially you say "couldn't Stackoverflow have evolved away from its current Q&A format to something resembling other sites or communities" - but then it would lose its unique character, which is its Q&A format - what would be the point then of having Stackoverflow at all, if it's becoming a clone of other forums/communities? It would be self-defeating ...
I think it's still valuable, even when it's getting "smaller", and I think it shouldn't drift away too far from what it currently is, or else we risk losing something unique which other sites/communities don't have ...
Dev.to forever, Wikipedia forever, Stackoverflow forever!
P.S. the whole alleged "gatekeeper" thing on Stackoverflow is something which doesn't really resonate with me TBH - it's not something which I've ever witnessed to that notably an extent ...
I agree that the Q&A format made StackOverflow special and the conversational form isn't new either. I felt the gatekeeping, sometimes when asking questions but also when trying to answer or comment a question that got downvoted and closed without making an effort to see and crystallise its value. I also saw and see loads of lazy low value questions by people who obviously never read "how to ask" or checked the preview to realize their screenshots don't show.
StackOverflow's official management desperately launches one experiment after another, adding AI and allowing opinionated best practice questions, long-standing reputable community members oppose their Verschlimmbesserung while many users have already turned their back for various reasons. Like with Wikipedia, the read-only-users just switched their channels from defunct search engine results to verbose AI chatter, but AI still relies on sites like WIkipedia and StackOverflow as sources.
I agree, Ingo. I don’t feel qualified to comment in depth on the voting system, but it does seem like a double-edged sword. While it was likely essential in Stack Overflow’s early days for building its reputation, I also think that having long-serving members on a moderation team can introduce its own challenges.
I must admit, I wasn’t aware that official management had launched experiment after experiment—perhaps too little, too late. In short, your reply has proven to be extremely insightful, and I thank you for it. Plenty of food for thought.
Wikipedia Must Never Die - regarding Stackoverflow, its demise would be a pity, but life goes on ...
P.S. "Verschlimmbesserung" - love that ...
Thanks for taking the time to share your perspective on this, leob. I really appreciate it, especially coming from someone whose views I respect.
You're right - Stack Overflow remains an incredibly valuable resource. My piece is more of a reflection on some "what if" scenarios I’ve come across online than a serious proposal to upend the site.
The gatekeeping aspect is interesting - some people experience it, some don’t. I wonder if part of it comes down to long-serving moderators. Moderation burn-out is certainly a real factor, even if it’s not always visible.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts - it’s always great to see a different point-of-view.
Thanks! Yeah I would regret it if it would drift away too far from its origins, in an attempt to "stay current" - they might be throwing away the baby with the bathwater in doing that ...
I think it's still valuable, even when it's not as big as it was!
perfect complement to what we're building.
your question: "do we need to replace or expand?"
answer: both
federated infrastructure lets communities experiment with moderation, UX, culture while staying discoverable.
some instances: strict (enterprise)
some: welcoming (beginners)
some: niche-focused (rust, cloudflare)
no single site dictates culture.
the foundation enables this:
dev.to/the-foundation/i-built-federated-ai-knowledge-commons-heres-how-56oj
"the future isn't one site, but a mix of communities that feel alive"
exactly right. appreciate you framing why this matters.
Thanks for highlighting what you’re building through The Foundation, Daniel.
As you know, this piece was almost complete when you shared your take on the situation, and I wanted to give your content - and similar posts that followed - room to breathe before publishing.
And I think you’re right: the real answer lies in open, accessible information shared in a federated manner - no single source, no risk of loss.
The irony is that SO's biggest strength — the strict moderation that kept answer quality high — is the same thing that drove people away. I've had questions closed as "duplicate" when the linked "duplicate" was about a completely different version of the library. Try explaining that to an automated system.
What bugs me most is how much institutional knowledge is locked up in SO answers that are slowly rotting. Answers from 2015 still rank #1 on Google for some queries, with outdated jQuery solutions for problems that have native browser API answers now. And the original answerers moved on years ago.
I don't think any single platform replaces it though. These days my workflow is: ask the AI first for a quick answer, then verify against docs or SO if it seems off. SO is basically my fact-checker now instead of my first stop. Funny how that shifted.
Yeah, Kai, it's a common take - the almost elitist behaviour. Others haven't seen it but I think it's fair to say it has happened enough for Stack Overflow to have that reputation.
No, you're right, it has to be series of platforms and communities - if anything at all. People like @dannwaneri are trying to start that very fire underneath us. Fingers crossed!
Thanks for the mention! I'm kind of loyal if that's the right word, but more in the sense of better support the lesser evil before there is nothing like that left at all. Concerning exploring new spaces, most new spaces get disappointing sooner or later, except for this site.
Yeah, I think you’re right. On the subject of other spaces, I mentioned in an earlier comment on another post that I bounced off Hashnode in a New York minute a couple of years back. It can be surprisingly difficult to find a place to talk with like-minded folks that doesn’t end up suffering in one way, shape, or form.
I'm not sure Stack Overflow worked great even when it was the place for tech answers. Their core vision is admirable. Being able to look up canonical answers to tech questions and not having to wade through comments like "👆 This" or barely related arguments is something we all want. But tech moves at a breakneck speed. Versions change. Patterns change. You end up with with as many taggable "languages" are there are language versions. I think their model was never really a good representation of problem-space they were modelling.
I do think we've lost something though. I got shredded on SO a couple of times when I was a college student. It made me ask better questions. It made me RTFM.
The tone of SO is "senior dev annoyed at the junior that asks too many questions" and here in the age of sycophantic AI and remote working, I can't help but think maybe we need a little bit of that somewhere in the dev journey.
Thanks for your input, Peter. I agree, I think that the "gatekeeping" or otherwise that was required when Stack Overflow started should have been adjusted as the site grew.
I think that's what I mean when I mentioned elsewhere in these replies that it would have been nice if they had introduced a newcomer-friendly area. They have probably left it too late to change now, however.
I'm not sure on the solution to that particular problem, but ring-fencing new players in a game generally doesn't work out. Not sure how it would play out on a Q&A like SO so I won't pretend to.
To me, it always seemed like the ideal of "1 canonical answer" is simply incompatible with a domain where "it depends" is the answer in 99% of situations. The ideal they strive towards is a bad fit for the domain they are applying it to.
I'm commenting on SO specifically. It works very well (and is less gate-keepery) for some of the Stack Exchange sites.
I hear you - ring-fencing new players rarely works, whether in games or in communities. I think that’s part of the challenge Stack Overflow faces: trying to enforce the “1 canonical answer” model in a domain where context and nuance dominate.
You’re right that for some Stack Exchange sites, the model works well, but SO’s scale and diversity make it much harder to maintain without discouraging participation. It seems like the platform is struggling to balance quality control with accessibility, and that tension is only becoming more apparent in the age of AI and alternative communities.
I should also point out that this post has evolved into more of a companion piece to content from others a couple of weeks ago. Members such as @dannwaneri have not only discussed this topic far more thoroughly than I have, but have also produced a possible solution worth exploring.
As a beginner, I totally feel this! 😅
I remember asking my first question on Stack Overflow and getting downvoted without any explanation. It really discouraged me from asking questions for weeks.
But at the same time, I've found solutions to almost every problem there. It's like Stack Overflow giveth and Stack Overflow taketh away 😂
Great discussion topic! How do you think we can make it more beginner-friendly?
My main idea was a beginner-friendly section - even if that meant keeping it separate from the main knowledge base, so as not to "poison the well" as it were. Something more approachable and welcoming, basically.
Thank you for sharing your idea! 😊
I really understand your approach — having a separate, welcoming section for beginners makes a lot of sense, and it ensures that the main knowledge base remains unaffected.
This will make the platform much more approachable and easier for new users.
If you’d like, I can also suggest some ideas and structure for this beginner-friendly section.
Of course, Harsh. Fire away!
Sure! Here are a few ideas for the beginner-friendly section:
Step-by-step tutorials to build knowledge gradually
Common mistakes & tips to avoid them
Simple glossary for technical terms
Interactive examples or mini exercises
Quick FAQ for beginners
This should keep it approachable and welcoming without overwhelming new users.
There are some really solid ideas in here, Harsh. Thanks for sharing. If only Stack Overflow would take at least some of them onboard! Still, thanks again!
Sure! Yahaan ek friendly aur appreciative English reply ka example hai jo tum bhej sakte ho:
Thanks! I really appreciate it. 😊
I wish platforms like Stack Overflow would take some of these ideas on board too, but it’s great to know the suggestions are valued.
in Stack Overflow users (expecially users with more mod-powers than others) pay too much attention to the aesthetics of the writing, rather than to the human side... and Im someone who cant stand haphazardly written sentences and emojis-spams (so to speak), Im also annoyed by the widespread functional-illiteracy in Italian (my first language)
⚠️ links in this comment are only for who want explore the off-topic argue
I actually told to my friends a few times that we saw the rise of StackOverflow and we'll see the sunset soon. For me it's hard to believe that it will survive without drastic changes, because first of all, it's a business - Prosus bought it for 1.8 billion. So if the website is not useful or helpful for a long period of time, then they'll shut it down. Which is sad because it's one of the things that helped many people to become software engineers when we were stuck.
There's still a small chance that they'll turn this around somehow and launch something completely new under the same name, but I'm very sceptical that it will succeed.
You're right, of course, Sergei - Prosus buying the platform changed everything. Enshittification in slow motion. The same old story, ad nauseam!
i still browse through SO to brainstorm my head. i still found it very helpful and full of wisdom. while its controlled strictly till one of my question is not answered after years and found the answer in DIscord and telegram channel.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Stack Overflow. I don't use it at all now but that wasn't the case a few years ago when I was heavily into Python - although I was often lead there from an internet search rather than posting questions on the site myself.
Posting Question there is a challenge it self. I do need to start with searching similar question before write my own. its also help me to shape a little to my workflow.
I never really got deep into the StackOverFlow community, but I did heard about the toxicity that takes place. It reminded me of this video that uncovers the toxic place in that community here: youtube.com/watch?v=N7v0yvdkIHg
I still use StackOverFlow time to time, but not as much when I was an undergrad. I am more towards GPT and being in this community because at least everyone here is nice and provide good feedback.
Great post once again!
Yeah, I probably didn’t use it as much as I could have. I mostly searched the knowledge base instead of asking actual questions. Thanks for the video link - I’ll check it out over breakfast!
Hopefully, the initiative @dannwaneri has created with The Foundation gets enough exposure to federate and become another great source of information.
I remember Stackoverflow, but there were often arrogant people there. They acted superior and if someone wrote something incorrectly they would immediately get hostile or complain instead of helping.
I think some developers share this experience, while others don’t. It happened frequently enough that Stack Overflow developed that reputation. A shift to a wiki-style format probably wouldn’t have solved the issue, but creating a more newcomer-friendly space could have been a positive step.
Yes, but now is doesnt matter.
Sad but true. Sad but true.
Richard, I've been thinking about this too. It's hard not to wonder if we've outgrown the way Stack Overflow presents information. Those conversational answers and beginner spaces you mentioned feel like a natural fit for how people learn and understand code now.
Indeed, Aryan. I wanted the piece to convey that I feel Stack Overflow could have created a dedicated newcomers’ area - even if the answers there didn’t feed into the main knowledge base.
When I first started out, Stack Overflow often felt like a place where you had to "earn" the right to ask a question without it being closed or downvoted. It can be pretty intimidating for a beginner! Comparing that to the vibe here on dev.to which feels much more like a shared journey rather than a highlight reel.
Indeed, Maame. It's not an experience everyone has but it's common enough for Stack Overflow to have earned that reputation. This post reflects that, in that I think they missed a trick not at least having a beginner-friendly section - even if that was away from the main knowledge base.
Great post ! I think Stack Overflow’s status as a " sanctuary of knowledge " has actually become its biggest obstacle. It’s brilliant as a pure documentation archive, but it falls short when it comes to actual learning. The real challenge now is the need to discuss architecture or share lived experiences, something Stack Overflow does much less effectively than a dynamic community.
That’s a really solid perspective, Capin. A network of dynamic, learning-focused communities would likely be the strongest replacement - or complement - to what exists now.
I'm a user with 10k in SO and part of me is happy that is dying, because it got way too serious making programming less enjoyable. I recently posted a good and proper solution to a JS question, just for fun. I got downvoted immediately and the friendly emojis I inserted into the answer got removed (I really didn't like that move from the mod so I added the emojis back 😝). It just feels off. I think we can do better.
I got into programming at a young age because of joy, then made programming my career for the same reason. I don't want to spend my time in places where people are killing what makes programming special.
It also connects to something I mentioned elsewhere: burnout among long-serving moderation team members is very real. While site-wide policy always takes precedence, it’s worth considering whether burnout may sometimes contribute to over-moderation. Did some experienced moderators interpret “preservation of the knowledge base above all else” a bit too rigidly or take it further than intended? It’s certainly something to reflect on.
Interesting point. The whole thing is burning down. What will become of SO when the inevitable comes its way ? When the cost of keeping the site online is larger than what they can afford. Is going to be interesting to witness indeed.
Agreed, gass. Time will tell, I guess.
Interesting discussion. Stack Overflow has been a core resource for developers for years, but the way we search for answers is definitely evolving.
AI tools, modern documentation, and community platforms are changing how developers learn and solve problems. That said, Stack Overflow’s structured Q&A format still provides reliable, curated knowledge that’s hard to replace.
Maybe the future isn’t replacing Stack Overflow — but adapting it alongside new tools.
I think you’re right about Stack Overflow, Manoj. Personally, I’d love to see a wider mix of communities, like DEV, Indie Hackers, Hashnode, and others, play a bigger role - not just in answering questions, but in fostering discussions, sharing projects, and supporting developers at all levels.
As much as I’d love a return to the PHP-powered forums of old, I don’t think even the current Discord discourse - the upcoming age check after last year’s 70k-record exposure - will bring those days back. But that’s just me, wearing rose-tinted spectacles!
Totally agree! The shift toward multiple communities is actually healthy for developers — different platforms encourage different kinds of learning and collaboration. And yes, those old forum days definitely had their own magic 😊
This was a trend a few years ago. Nowadays the decline in SO traffic is almost certainly from LLMs being crowbarred into everything from search to IDEs. DEV itself is now experiencing more and more slop content. You can't even find places to go to chat about development without them being overrun with bot accounts, and it's only getting worse as it's a typical race to the bottom.
It's very difficult to add "AI assistance that still reward[s] human expertise", and I think the attempt would not win SO any new visitors.
This is the challenge: make a conversation feel genuine when 99% of it is LLM blandfill.
Absolutely, Ben - genuine, human-driven conversation is becoming rare. I think the future of dev Q&A will likely be a mix of smaller, active communities rather than a single site, especially as AI-generated content continues to dominate.
As a Trusted Member, I see the "slop" firsthand in many cases here on DEV, but because we can help with moderation, perhaps we can continue to turn the tide a little longer. I truly hope so - there are few places like this left.
Suppose Stack Overflow dies, no one is posting anything new. The same happens to other platforms eventually. AI is the way now. It’s fast, knowledgeable, and kind. But LLMs learn their stuff from somewhere, and if there’s no new content, there’s also no answers for new problems.
For this reason, I don’t think sites like Stack Overflow are going anywhere. There’s always new problems and answers the LLM won’t know at the beginning. This platforms will evolve, eventually.
I see do see your point, Ed. What you may not have caught in earlier posts is that AI already accounts for nearly 50% of content on the internet. Eventually, we'll have a situation where AI is producing content produced by AI - a snake eating its own tail, as a it were.
I agree, I don't think Stack Overflow will disappear - at least I hope not. This post is as much about ensuring there are other platforms of knowledge, as much as anything else. Platforms like DEV are precious.
Still, appreciate your point-of-view - further food for thought is always welcome!
To me this is very obvious—maybe I’m wrong—but with AI, everything is changing, and it’s going to change a lot more in a matter of months.
Those of us who’ve been in this for years have an inertia or habit that’s hard to break, but I doubt new developers will use Stack Overflow.
I think this isn’t debatable, IMO—I believe it’s a reality: sites like Stack Overflow either adapt or they’ll die.
I appreciate your counterpoint, Fran. That said, I do think Stack Overflow has missed several opportunities to adapt.
With some of the misreporting around things like Moltbook, it’s easy to frame AI as the golden goose. In reality, there’s still a long way to go before it reaches anything close to that status — and whether it ever fully will remains to be seen.
My piece was less about AI replacing platforms outright, and more about the alternatives Stack Overflow could have explored. Other communities, like DEV, have created space both for newcomers to learn and for experienced developers to share knowledge more openly. That sense of accessibility and participation feels increasingly important.
Also, the shift of users toward the social side seems clear—sharing experiences as a way to solve problems rather than just answering questions. But when I say obvious, I mean that AI overshadows everything; I think any other consideration is less relevant.
But now I understand your point better.
Edit: Actually... that's the reason I'm here :-)
Stack Overflow didn’t lose relevance because the knowledge got worse. It lost relevance because the experience did.
When asking a sincere question feels like walking into a code review tribunal, people stop asking. Not because they don’t care — but because they have alternatives.
AI gives instant feedback. DEV and smaller communities give conversation. Stack Overflow still gives precision — but often without warmth. And in 2026, friction loses to flow every time.
I don’t think we need to replace it. But we do need to admit something changed. Developers today expect iteration, context, and dialogue — not just a canonical answer locked in amber from 2013.
Maybe the future isn’t “Stack Overflow vs. the rest.” Maybe it’s Stack Overflow as one tool among many — not the gatekeeper anymore, just part of the ecosystem.
Indeed, Alfa. In many cases, Stack Overflow inadvertently drove away newcomers - especially those just starting out in the field. Was it over-moderation? Rigid, seemingly immutable policies? Perhaps a combination of both - or something else entirely? The strict enforcement of rules, while well-intentioned, often created an environment where beginners felt unwelcome, hesitant to ask questions for fear of downvotes or closure. Meanwhile, experienced users who thrived under the same rules sometimes contributed to a culture that felt intimidating rather than supportive. The result was a paradox: a platform built to share knowledge, yet occasionally discouraging the very people it was meant to help.
Future frameworks might struggle without StackOverflow, where will people discuss issues? In some hidden discord channel? There'll be more burden placed on GitHub issues as people repeatedly ask the same questions over and over again.
Yes, this very same discussion has been going on here at DEV for a couple of weeks now. In fact @dannwaneri has taken something that was discussed between a few members and produced his own answer through I Shipped the Solution to Knowledge Collapse in 21 Days - early days but you never know!
Yeah I haven't really used stack overflow since the Ai's got good. Though sometimes I'll still use stack overflow if I can't interrogate the answer out of chatgpt.
I kind of like DEV.to honestly for sharing projects and talking with other devs.
I do really like looking at the stack overflow surveys though
Appreciate you taking the time to comment, Brandon - thank you!
To be honest, I had forgotten all about the surveys - thanks for the heads-up!
Really thoughtful piece, Richard. Stack Overflow is still an amazing knowledge base, but I agree it hasn’t fully kept up with how people actually learn now. A newcomer-friendly, more conversational layer on top of the strict Q&A could have gone a long way. In the meantime, I’m glad spaces like DEV exist where the human side of learning and discussion still feels alive.
Yes, that was the one take I wanted people to take away from this piece - a newcomer-friendly area. Would have it helped - we'll never know.
Like yourself, I'm very glad platforms like DEV still exist - but they're rare!
I feel like stack overflow is one of those places every developer owes something to, a huge chunk of what many of us know today came from answers written there years ago, but at the same time the environment can feel a bit strict or intimidating when you’re still figuring things out and don’t even know how to frame the perfect question yet.
I think stack overflow needed to evolve. It could have leaned more toward making it easier to ask half formed questions, iterate on them, and feel safe for beginners to learn and ask questions , Also ........ integrating an AI that’s trained around its own knowledge base and community context could have made the platform even more powerful while still valuing human expertise.
Stack Overflow's biggest issue is not the knowledge, it's the gatekeeping. I have seen brilliant junior devs stop asking questions after getting roasted for "duplicates." Meanwhile, ChatGPT never judges you. That's why AI is winning. The platform optimized for perfection, not people.
It certainly seems to be the case, Tom. Most of the comments for the post seem to support that.
I really enjoyed reading this! You’ve made some great points. Stack Overflow has been a lifesaver for so many, but I think the community aspect can sometimes get lost in the mix. Spaces like DEV and Hashnode seem to offer a more welcoming vibe where people can have real conversations and learn together. I’m not sure Stack Overflow needs to be replaced, but it could definitely adapt to feel more supportive and less intimidating. In the end I think the future is about finding places where we can all grow and help each other out.
I agree, Marry - I’m glad my framing came across clearly. You’re absolutely right that communities like Hashnode and DEV offer a warmer, more welcoming experience, especially for those just starting out in the field. As you mentioned, that’s something Stack Overflow could certainly learn from. I really appreciate your insight!
I've been thinking about it, remembering how was learning when I started my career.
Theses days we all started having Internet at home, but pages were mainly static, so the references to learn and find out how to solve problems were basically books and your work mates.
Little by little Internet became more social: IRC, Forums, mailing lists,... This places made easier to find help to solve your programming problems, and the best place to learn. Later on arrives StackOverflow and other ways of learning like Youtube videos.
Now, with the rise of AI we are going back in time, being more disconnected. AI, steeling knowlege from public sources and books, has become the old reference book. Luckily we can still interact with out workmates :-D
But the thing is that Internet in general has become something unidirecctional, like a TV, we can see tones of content but interaction with others, socialize in certain way, has become more difficult. There are no discussions, only the "truth" that the "content creator" has published for the sake of his/her "personal brand", getting visitors and, at the end, earn money.
Maybe I'm a romantic or becoming and old guy, but I think that people in general look for real content, real interactions. The "enshitification" of Internet provided by the giant tech companies has promoted an Internet full of content without quality, steeling the human aspect of creating content, that is, for the pleasure of sharing and get feedback from others.
The thing is that IMHO people will naturally move to places like DEV.to in order to experience real connections, the essence of what we are: humans.
PS: Sorry for this long text, I couldn't stop writing as it come from my very inside :-)
Loved reading this, Fernando - you captured exactly how I’ve felt too. It’s crazy to think how we went from learning side by side with colleagues and communities, to Stack Overflow, and now AI feels like a reference book without a conversation. I totally agree - real connections and human interaction are what make platforms like DEV special. Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt reflection! Truly appreciate it!
Let's be clear. AI looks in resources like Stack Overflow so it's all about the people asking and answering questions.
Our goal is to make people communicate like before because AI tools replacing communication between people
Indeed, Razumovsky, and there has been some movement on that front thanks to the efforts of people like @dannwaneri - though we should still protect communities like DEV as well!
I used Stack Overflow for almost every error back in the day. It was just part of debugging. Now, the way we find bug fixes has changed a lot. I feel it could have adapted earlier to newer tools and more open discussion styles. The community knowledge is still practical and trustworthy.
I feel the same way, nishchal - that’s actually what inspired me to write the piece. Could Stack Overflow have made changes that preserved the integrity of the knowledge base while still adding something new? I’ve already suggested a newcomer-friendly area where the core knowledge remains unaffected, but there were definitely other avenues they could have explored as well!
That makes sense. A newcomer friendly area sounds like a solid idea actually
I feel SO is too noisy for me, even just the redis is worst. Sorry I am too simply so just stay in dev.to.
And nothing wrong with that, Peter. Whatever works for you, right?
This post perfectly captures the "end of an era" feeling many of us are having right now.
Stack Overflow used to be the only game in town, but it’s starting to feel like a library where the librarians are constantly shushing you. The "Closed as Duplicate" hammer and the "What have you tried?" snark served a purpose when we needed a curated wiki of truth, but in 2026, developers are looking for empathy, not just syntax.
You're spot on about the AI shift. Why would I wait 45 minutes to potentially get yelled at by a power user when I can get a "polite-enough" answer from an LLM in 10 seconds? The irony is that AI is trained on the very knowledge Stack Overflow curated, yet the platform’s rigid culture is exactly what's pushing people toward the AI in the first place.
I don’t think we’ll ever "replace" it—it’s too valuable as an archive—but the center of gravity has definitely moved. We’re moving toward a "Community-First" model (like DEV or specialized Discord servers) where the goal is a conversation, not just a transaction. It's less about finding the "one true answer" and more about finding people who are solving the same weird edge case you are.
Really great perspective—it feels like we're watching the transition from a "Knowledge Repository" to a "Knowledge Ecosystem."
You’re absolutely right, Peace - you’ve articulated the shift perfectly.
No, I don’t believe Stack Overflow will ever truly be replaced - and maybe that’s not such a bad thing. I’ve mentioned this several times already, but sometimes the simplest solution is the right one. A more newcomer-friendly space - even if separate from the main knowledge base - might have changed everything. Of course, we’ll never really know.
DEV is fantastic, and I’m a strong supporter of platforms like it. That said, as a Trusted Member, I’ve seen some of the underbelly - the ongoing battle against misinformation, spam, and other low-quality content. The risks facing DEV and similar platforms are very real.
Stack Overflow will always be the OG for quick fixes, but I get what you mean - it doesn’t always feel welcoming.
Lately I’ve been mixing it up too: AI for quick clarity, communities like DEV for real conversations. Maybe it’s not about replacing it, just expanding where we learn and ask.
You’ve hit the proverbial nail on the head, Avinash. There’s space to acknowledge existing sources, and allowing for human interaction is key - something sites like DEV still do well.
This is spot on. We’re moving from a Monolith (Stack Overflow) to a Microservices model of community.
I’ve definitely noticed the shift:
The 'What': For syntax or quick fixes, I go to AI.
The 'How': For deep documentation, I go to the source.
The 'Why': For conversation and empathy, I go to DEV or Discord.
Stack Overflow’s rigid moderation made it a world-class library, but it also made it a cold museum. It’s efficient for data, but terrible for learning. It’s becoming the 'Archive' while other platforms become the 'Main Thread.'
Utterly agree, shambhavi! I’ve noticed the same pattern for many people - AI for quick fixes, docs for deep dives, and communities like DEV for real human connection. Stack Overflow feels more like an archive now, and it’s interesting to see where these "microservices" communities are taking us.
I think this is a valid point. Stack Overflow has been incredibly useful, but sometimes the strict rules can discourage new contributors. A thoughtful change could make the platform more welcoming.
Yes, Harsh, I believe there is a way to do both, even if you had to keep the resulting sections separate so not to poison the main knowledge base, as it were.
“That’s a really interesting point. I agree—there does seem to be a way to do both, especially if the outcomes are kept separate to protect the core knowledge base.”
Stack Overflow is a valued resource as a trust mechanism and knolwedge base. But there could be benefits in adapting the incentives mechanism to also heavily support teaching (step-by-step, beginner-friendly explanations etc.) rather than just answering concisely and correctly. I know it rewards teaching concepts but maybe not enough. This could make the platform feel more welcoming.
I think that’s a really good idea, Julien. One of the main reasons Stack Overflow grew the way it did was the combination of trust and knowledge, but perhaps opportunities to teach were missed along the way.
When someone’s first experience of a place is a blunt “duplicate post” or something similar, it can be hard for them to come back from that. I’m not saying I’m right, but a friendly signpost costs little extra and can feel far more welcoming.
Our people would say: "The one who knows just one way doesn't know the way"
Stack Overflow helped me in many ways, but I like solving problems for long term and just relying one source is not a very good way of getting to that goal. Stack Overflow does it's thing it's own way, so does other platforms and I appreciate that diversity.
I like that, Michael. Thank you very much for sharing that.
I know exactly what you mean about the diversity - good to get support from different resources!
Thanks for the reply!
From all-time high usage during COVID to near death in just a handful of years, AI’s impact is crazy, and I feel it’s only getting started.
I'm afraid you could be right, Christiaan...