TL;DR
A recent retrospective argues that toxicity on Stack Overflow helped drive developers away as much as new tools did. A circulating graph shows question volume declining from about 2017 to 2023 and then dropping sharply, while many developers turned to faster, less confrontational sources like large language models.
What happened
Long a go-to resource for coding answers, Stack Overflow has also been criticized for a culture that can be hostile to people asking questions. The site's own 2018 post acknowledged that it was not very welcoming, but the author here says little changed and many users continued to expect brusque or critical replies. A graph making the rounds shows a gradual decline in total questions from roughly 2017 through 2023, followed by a steep fall. Online conversations point to developers switching to generative AI tools for quicker responses that require verification but avoid hostile commentary. The writer suggests that, while faster AI answers would still have been attractive, a more positive community might have slowed the exodus. The piece frames this as a caution for other online communities: being essential is not enough if the social environment pushes users away.
Why it matters
- Community tone affects user retention: negative interactions can accelerate migration to alternatives.
- Generative AI offers faster answers with less interpersonal friction, changing expectations for support channels.
- Acknowledging a problem (as Stack Overflow did in 2018) is not the same as fixing cultural issues.
- Other technical communities risk similar losses if they rely solely on assumed necessity rather than positive experiences.
Key facts
- Stack Overflow was widely used by developers prior to 2024 as a source for technical answers.
- The site has an established reputation for unwelcoming or critical responses to questioners.
- Stack Overflow published a 2018 blog post titled 'Stack Overflow Isn't Very Welcoming.'
- A circulated graph shows total Stack Overflow questions declining steadily from about 2017 to 2023, then falling sharply.
- Online discussions attribute part of the decline to developers adopting large language models for faster replies.
- Some users prefer AI answers because they are quicker and avoid hostile human responders, even if verification is needed.
- The author speculates a kinder community might have slowed departures but acknowledges speed of AI responses remains a factor.
What to watch next
- Whether Stack Overflow implements new measures to improve community tone — not confirmed in the source.
- Trends in question volume on Stack Overflow after 2023 and whether the decline stabilizes — not confirmed in the source.
- Adoption rates and improvements in generative AI tools that could further replace traditional Q&A sites — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- Stack Overflow: A widely used question-and-answer website for programmers to ask and answer technical questions.
- Large language model (LLM): A machine learning model trained on large text datasets that can generate humanlike text and answer questions.
- Community moderation: Processes by which users and moderators enforce rules and norms in an online community.
- Toxicity: Behavior in online interactions that is hostile, dismissive, or abusive and can drive users away.
Reader FAQ
Why did developers stop using Stack Overflow?
The source links declining activity to a mix of community hostility and the convenience of generative AI; it does not provide comprehensive proof of causation.
Did Stack Overflow acknowledge its culture problem?
Yes — the site published a 2018 post admitting it 'isn't very welcoming.'
Is there data showing a drop in Stack Overflow questions?
A graph circulating online shows a steady decline from about 2017 to 2023 followed by a steep fall, as reported in the source.
Will Stack Overflow recover?
not confirmed in the source
We might have been slower to abandon Stack Overflow if it wasn't a toxic hellhole 07 January 2026 If you were a software developer prior to 2024, you probably used…
Sources
- We might have been slower to abandon StackOverflow if it wasn't a toxic hellhole
- Suffering on Stack Overflow – April Wensel – Medium
- Ask HN: Why Is Stack Overflow Fading Away?
- How do you know Stack Overflow feels unwelcoming?
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