Stack Overflow is Dying (And I'm Not Sure That's Bad)

For a long time, Stack Overflow was my default move when I got stuck. Weird bug at 2 AM? Someone had already asked it. Sometimes the comments taught you more than the answer itself.

Lately though, I don’t even think to go there first.

It’s not just me. Between ChatGPT, Copilot, Discord servers, and GitHub Discussions, the way we get help has changed. If I can ask an AI directly in my editor and get an answer instantly, it’s hard to justify writing a carefully worded question and waiting.

Stack Overflow also just got… exhausting. Questions closed too fast. A lot of “this is a duplicate” energy. Even as a more experienced developer, it stopped feeling welcoming.

That said, I don’t think instant answers are a perfect replacement. AI helps me move fast, but it doesn’t always help me understand. Stack Overflow’s best answers forced you to slow down, see trade-offs, and learn patterns you’d reuse later.

I don’t think we’re going back to one central place for developer knowledge. It feels more scattered now, a mix of AI, docs, niche communities, and short tutorials.

It’s not the end of learning from each other. It’s just a different shape.

And maybe that’s okay.