# Stack Overflow Is Almost Dead  ## Metadata - Author: [[Gergely Orosz]] - Full Title: Stack Overflow Is Almost Dead - Category: #articles - Summary: Stack Overflow is experiencing a dramatic decline in questions, reaching levels not seen since its launch in 2009. This drop began around 2014, worsened after the rise of ChatGPT, and is attributed to both moderation policies and competition from AI. As a result, concerns grow about the site's future and relevance in the tech community. - URL: https://blog.pragmaticengineer.com/stack-overflow-is-almost-dead/ ## Highlights - The volume of questions asked on Stack Overflow has nearly dried up ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jvfbys5wacdx48wbvasy50m2)) -  ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jvfby3rr0vga64cxq8ygncaf)) - **June 2021:** Stack Overflow sold for $1.8B to private equity investor, Prosus. *In hindsight, the founders – Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky – sold with near-perfect timing, before terminal decline.* ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jvfc078knspypmercb078ee7)) - **November 2022:** as soon as ChatGPT came out, the number of questions asked declined rapidly. ChatGPT is faster and it’s trained on StackOverflow data, so the quality of answers is similar. Plus, ChatGPT is polite and answers all questions, in contrast to StackOverflow moderators. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jvfc0p6mpnqvmkavstkty339)) - **May 2025:** the number of monthly questions is as low as when Stack Overflow launched in 2009. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jvfc0szd1bj49btt7kndm9e0))