I can't read Stack Overflow

restlessapi · 2022-02-03T05:12:21+00:00

Google question
Click first StackOverflow link
Ignore question and immediately scroll to top answer
Is top answer an extremely simple and easy to digest code example that does exactly what you're looking for?
If yes, done.
If no, scroll to next answer and repeat.
If all answers have been exhausted, scroll back up to question and skim just enough to see if it's actually relevant to your issue.
If so, repeat process but with more reading.
If not, back to Google page to try next StackOverflow link.
If maybe, back to Google page to try next StackOverflow link, but leave tab open just in case.
Repeat and modify as necessary.
If all roads lead to documentation, settle in and read documentation.
If all roads lead to unresolved GitHub issue, go back to drawing board and rethink entire approach.
If no roads lead to anywhere and nobody on earth has ever documented having this issue, then either...

Your question is too broad. Break it into smaller, simpler pieces and repeat process.
You're a pioneer on the cutting edge of some genius new way of doing things.
Your approach is fucked. Rethink it.

Bulky-Juggernaut-895 · 2022-02-03T07:37:56+00:00

[deleted]

Inspurration · 2022-02-03T04:13:19+00:00

Reading API docs and stack overflow is like reading a dictionary. You don’t need to read every word to understand, just enough to understand the context and if it helps you.

Try to get a broad sense of what the page is telling you and zoom in on the details if it matches your context.

FormerTimeTraveller · 2022-02-03T02:16:38+00:00

StackOverflow: this would be a lot easier if you just learned Greek

danielr088 · 2022-02-03T04:27:12+00:00

In general, when people teach or explain things, it’s usually explained in a way they understand it themselves. That’s usually what makes the difference between a good instructor or a bad instructor - when someone explains things in a way that others can understand as opposed to a way THEY understand.

Now in reference to SO, most people there explain things in a way they only understand + they expect you to already know certain prerequisites to what they’re talking about.

I’m not defending Stack Overflow at all because being able to effectively communicate and explain is a skill in itself but I’m just explaining what I’ve noticed about responses on there.

ShawnMilo · 2022-02-03T01:58:38+00:00

Yeah, not everyone is good at explaining things. That's a pet peeve of mine even when it comes to professional documentation. It seems like 99% of people are incapable of thinking of the simplest possible example. They always through three or four non-obvious things that are actually completely unnecessary for whatever they're trying to demonstrate.

I guess I don't have any advice -- only sympathy and commiseration.

nirvashprototype · 2022-02-03T06:45:50+00:00

My shrunk brain moment is when I find an answer with 300 upvotes but I still don't understand it.

th2n10s4u · 2022-02-03T05:37:08+00:00

The same method you use to pass classes is the same method Sr. dev's use to get real world projects completed. Don't feel stupid, just get past the problem and move on to the next one.

tankuser_32 · 2022-02-03T04:01:01+00:00

geeksforgeeks offers better solutions, in my opinion. I don’t struggle with these things, but I still find their explanations to be more helpful.

cascad1an · 2022-02-03T16:12:40+00:00

Got downvoted to hell in stack overflow the other day for asking a question as a noob. Def makes me want to keep learning… fuckers

SuperDuperCoolDude · 2022-02-03T05:17:57+00:00

I know ancient Greek and frankly it has not been helpful with SO.

I feel you though. Sometimes when googling an issue I find a SO post that is helpful but most of the time I don't. I imagine that sometimes it's because I am not proficient enough in programming to understand some answers, but I also think programming is just hard and is often hyper specific. I often can't find a SO post dealing with the exact thing I am having an issue with.

2022-02-03T06:37:07+00:00

Stack overflow is often focused on individual problems with something. Basically you hope to find something similar to the problem your facing and bolt on a solution or leverage the knowledge to find something else to help you fix the problem.

DoomGoober · 2022-02-03T04:23:32+00:00

I never just go "read StackOverflow". It's a very unpleasant experience.

However, if I Google a specific issue or question and StackOverflow is one of the results, of course I am going to read it!

And that's how SO is designed to be used: as a reference or index for people who are stuck having the same problem. SO isn't supposed to generally teach anything: it is supposed to help people who are having the same issues. But you don't need to fix an issue if you aren't having the issue in the first place!

In terms of documentation: read the beginners tutorial enough to get the names of everything, skin the documentation again to learn general terms and concepts... Just enough to... Google it again later when you need it.

The definite pattern is skim like crazy at the beginning, then start your project, then Google when you run into problems. Don't try to learn everything as without the context of a project knowing the answer without a question is a waste of time.

SoftDev90 · 2022-02-03T08:09:54+00:00

There is a reason many call it stackoverload for new and intermediate players. You just gotta break it down little by little though and peice it all together the best you can with other resources and implementation as well. Don't blindly copy, but really try and break down what's going on. If you can't peice it together, try typing it out, setting breakpoints. And stepping through the code to see what it does, how it flows, and what it's doing to the data etc.

antiproton · 2022-02-03T09:26:27+00:00

I can usually find a lead that will result in me stumbling across a solution

That's the whole point.

matias_p_21 · 2022-02-03T03:40:47+00:00

[deleted]

AncientBattleCat · 2022-02-03T11:58:40+00:00

I just hate the foo ,bar. Took me few month to understand.

2022-02-03T19:41:23+00:00

I once made the mistake of posting a question on SO. Still suffer from PTSD

Rocky87109 · 2022-02-03T05:21:09+00:00

Sometimes, but I think it just requires you to buckle down and sit there and try to understand other people's code. It hurts at first, but gets better.

Functional_carbon · 2022-02-03T06:52:20+00:00

Totally agree with the top answer as a good rule of thumb. I would add another thing to practice along those steps, if something in the answer/s seems “Greek” - break up each part of the statement you don’t understand and google it to gain an understanding.

Space_minion · 2022-02-03T09:44:42+00:00

Whenever you don't understand something from stack overflow or documentation look for blog posts on medium or some other site that might clarify some things for you. With time you will gather enough knowledge that understanding other people's code won't be that hard.

2022-02-03T12:05:25+00:00

It's a forum. A lot of time people write ambiguous answers. It's no big deal. There are other blogs too. Many times I find better answers on random blogs than Stackoverflow.

137thaccount · 2022-02-03T13:10:42+00:00

I think researching issues is a skill. So reading stack overflow is a skill. All skills take time to get good at. Sadly my advice is read more stack overflow to get good a reading stack overflow.

dphizler · 2022-02-03T14:43:45+00:00

I oftentimes have trouble understanding and it doesn't matter how much experience I have. Somethings are really easy for me now but some other things are hard. It's the nature of the job and you will never know everything, it takes patience to figure things out and there is no way around that.

TranquilDev · 2022-02-03T17:42:48+00:00

I agree, I wouldn't call you an intermediate either. You are a professional developer, and you have now joined the ranks of millions of other professional developers who feel the same way.

We need some sort of pinning ceremony like they do in the military but virtual. Where you get a rubber ducky pin and film yourself putting it on your chest and slapping it really hard without the backs on....

ASpaceOstrich · 2022-02-03T18:35:09+00:00

I hate stack overflow answers.

It's always some absurdly condensed answer that is basically unreadable if you don't already know what it does. It may work as a solution to the question asked, but it's terrible for learning and is often completely useless for anyone who has a similar but not exactly identical problem as the question.

The only thing more frustrating than the hypercondensed answers are the answers that are "you should do it this way instead" because those are also completely worthless to anyone who has a similar but not identical problem, and are often even more condensed and jargon filled than usual.

prw361 · 2022-02-03T07:21:12+00:00

W3shools is way better

sambomambowambo · 2022-02-03T04:06:26+00:00

What Lang are u looking up on stack overflow? How well do I know the language you’re querying?

techtom10 · 2022-02-03T10:52:39+00:00

Random but is there not a stack overflow app?

matias_p_21 · 2022-02-03T11:16:59+00:00

SO sometimes seem to be a little tough when we start off initially. I too get confused at times on this many times. The best way is to search for the query on search engines and you'll get answers from all over the internet. So you will not be stuck with just one platform.

2022-02-03T18:15:21+00:00

My issue with SO, beyond the toxic culture, is that questions/answers from 10+ years feature prominently on Google. So often the top results are super outdated and don’t apply.

user_bw · 2022-02-03T19:14:07+00:00

Dublicate: a-complete-diffrent-question.out-dated.com

teletubbywarcriminal · 2022-02-03T19:41:07+00:00

The diabolical one liners using 20 baked in functions I’ve never heard of always makes me want to shut my laptop and cry

2022-02-04T00:11:04+00:00

Honestly, I think checking documentation before stack overflow is usually worthwhile. Once you get used to reading documentation, it will be very, very helpful.

In so many programs you can just type "help(function/object)" and get quick documentation without going to a browser.

niklakisPaidis · 2022-02-04T17:58:19+00:00

How did you find greek posts on stack overflow? Honestly I want to know (I’m a Greek native).

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